Matt Hann celebrates his goal.
|
During a frantic thrilling finale at Clarence Park on Saturday St Albans City twice had victory snatched from their grasp by a resolute Farnborough Town although the one point Colin Lippiatt’s side did collect was sufficient to retain leadership of the Conference South.
Two up inside eight minutes City surrendered that lead with just two minutes remaining as Boro deservedly drew level but just moments later the Saints looked to have claimed victory when the ball was bundled over the line only for a raised linesman’s flag to save Farnborough from their first defeat at the Park in 17 years. It was a scintillating ending to what had, generally, been a low-key affair.
Lippiatt decided against reinstating Scott Cousins following the completion of his four-match ban and instead switched Sean Hankin to left back with debutant Michael Barima being introduced on the right as the 13th player to have lined up in the Saints defence so far this season.
City took the changes in their stride and were ahead inside three minutes. Simon Martin challenged for a long kick from Paul Bastock that Mark Rooney attempted to head back to keeper Kevin Scriven but the former Saint mistimed his header and allowed Matt Hann to nip in and, despite stumbling, stick away his ninth goal of the season.
Boro lost a good chance to restore parity when John Gasson put a free header well wide while St Albans best league crowd of the season was in party mood on eight minutes when Hann won the ball on the left and played it inside to Tom Davis who in turn fed Dean Cracknell with the midfielder firing crisply to the left of Scriven from 20 yards for the Saints second goal.
Farnborough fought back strongly but City twice went close to settling issue, firstly when Martin couldn’t quite reach Sean Hankin’s low cross that soared across the face of Scriven’s goal and, secondly, when his header from Aaron Barnett’s cross deflected just over the bar off a defenders head.
Without creating clear chances Frank Gray’s side began to trouble City and on 29 minutes the comeback began in earnest when Carl Gibbs was afforded time and space to send in a perfect inswinging cross from the Boro left for the advancing Matt Pattison to plant a firm header inside Bastock’s right hand upright.
City closed the half with a couple of efforts from distance by Davis and Cracknell but Boro were clearly in the ascendancy although the Saints started the second half encouragingly with Barnett and Hann forcing Scriven into saves before Martin headed goalwards from a Hann corner with Paul Hakim blocking the effort then turning swiftly only to be thwarted at point blank range by the keeper.
Hakim had two further efforts comfortably taken by Scriven before Farnborough, through dominating the midfield, increased the pressure on the home goal. Despite being well below their best City limited Boro’s goalscoring opportunities although Paul Harkness should have done better than blaze high over the Hatfield Road goal when set up by Gibbs and the tricky Gibbs was only just beaten by the alert Bastock to an excellent through ball.
In an effort to turn the tide Lippiatt tinkered with his side when withdrawing Barima; Chris Seeby went to right back and Nick Roddis into the midfield while Lee Clarke replaced Martin who was somewhat isolated up front.
City looked to have secured victory three minutes from time when a Matt Warner corner was flicked on at the near post to Gibbs whose back post stab at goal was blocked on the line by Cracknell. But Boro came back again and on 88 minutes Gasson eluded a tall City defence to powerfully head home a Scott Canham free kick.
Boro were good value for the equaliser but St Albans response was immediate as Cracknell chipped a free kick towards the back post where Barnett headed it on to Davis who helped the ball back into a crowded goalmouth where Hakim and Clarke both claimed the final telling touch only for a tight offside decision to go against the deflated Saints. |
