Lee Clarke breaks free
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Paul Hakim drew one of the loudest sighs of relief heard at Clarence Park for many a long day on Saturday as his 90th minute winner condemned Newport County to an eleventh consecutive defeat and lifted an erratic St Albans City back into the top three of the Conference South.
Jubilation at setting a new club record of seven consecutive home games without conceding a goal was tempered by the Saints current woes at the opposite end of the pitch which, coupled with an outstanding display by the debut making County goalkeeper Tony Pennock, so nearly cost St Albans what should have been a regulation three points.
City looked unsure of themselves during the first half and despite upping the tempo after the break still looked a pale imitation of the side that was blasting all and sundry just a few short weeks ago. Maybe the good fortune received in snatching such a dramatic victory will provide the impetus to re-ignite City’s fire.
County, having scored just once in their previous six games, tested Paul Bastock at either end of the half with a shot by Matt Green and a free kick from Mark Draycott. City appeared pensive but on 12 minutes Simon Martin headed down a Mark Graham cross to Dean Cracknell whose shot was blocked with Lee Clarke’s follow up smartly turned round the post by Pennock.
A half of few chances saw Clarke and Patrick Ada just fail to reach a Matt Hann free kick while the visitors were fortunate not to concede a penalty when referee John Rowbury, who gave a dismal performance throughout, turned a blind eye as Darren Jones hauled Clarke to the ground.
City approached the second period in far greater attacking mode and just two minutes after the restart Pennock showed his class when using his legs to deny Clarke his first goal in seven games. Nick Roddis, again one of City’s best performers, almost caught out Pennock with a chipped effort from 25 yards while referee Rowbury again frustrated the home side when Green appeared to control the ball with an arm inside his own penalty area.
A swift County counter attack should have brought better reward than to see Draycott lift his shot comfortably over the City goal before the Welsh side survived a frantic scramble as Clarke attempted to turn in Martin’s touch from a Scott Cousins cross.
Pennock made his most spectacular save of the afternoon on 71 minutes when Martin leapt well to direct a Graham cross back across the keeper who twisted acrobatically before palming the ball away. Ten minutes from time Newport again caught City on the break as Sam O’Sullivan smartly swept past Chris Seeby and cut into the area before Bastock saved at the wingers feet.
But it was Seeby who provided the telling cross dead on 90 minutes as he outwitted Evans and fired the ball into the Hatfield Road penalty area where Hann saw his powerful shot blocked only for the ball to roll kindly into the path of Hakim who took great delight in blasting home the deciding goal from eight yards.
Distraught Newport players fell to the turf all over the pitch and the game, which was never given a chance to flow by the whistle happy Rowbury, ended acrimoniously with five players booked during added time and Evans fortunate only to get a yellow card for the sort of tackle on Seeby that bought Cousins a red card at Kettering.
Match report by Dave Tavener. Kindly supplied by The St Albans Observer. |
