Matt Hann scores his 2nd of the night
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With a performance as close to perfection as one is likely to get from a side at this level on its travels, St Albans City reclaimed leadership of the Conference South at a sand covered Bridge Road on Wednesday night and dented Histon’s own promotion ambitions.
City went into the game on a crest of a wave with five (four league) successive victories behind them and comfortably the top scorers in the Division, yet setbacks had been suffered from Saturday’s impressive win over title contenders Welling United. Nick Burton, laid out by an ugly challenge by Che Stadhart, had suffered concussion so was ruled out of the trip to Cambridgeshire while Paul Hakim learnt that his comeback from injury could be delayed by another couple of weeks. If that wasn’t enough, stand-by keeper James Lambley received a thigh injury when playing for Lincolnshire against Leicestershire on Sunday, to make matters worse for the teenager Lincs lost 3-1.
Such worries were washed away within seconds of City’s first visit to the Glassworld Stadium (tis always sad when grounds are named after the sponsor) as the Saints tore into the home side from the first whistle. Histon had not lost a home league match for ten weeks yet were in retreat from the opening minute as Colin Lippiatt’s side destroyed them with not only the pace of their attacks but the accuracy of the passing, it was first class from all areas of the pitch.
The opening minute typified the match as Matt Hann, Chris Seeby, Simon Martin and Dean Cracknell all combined to free Lee Clarke whose shot was saved low down by the ample frame of Lance Key. A minute later Seeby, who was quite magnificent throughout, sent Hann advancing, at pace, down the right. After some 50 yards Hann crossed low to Tom Davis whose loose first touch just allowed Histon the opportunity to clear their lines.
A goal seemed imminent but surprisingly it almost came at the opposite end as Paul Bastock tried to get through a crowded box to reach Adrian Cambridge’s long throw but only succeeded in setting up Neil Andrews-King who appeared certain to score from eight yards out until Ben Lewis dived in full length to divert the ball over the top. Lewis, in only his second game, dictated and directed the backline most impressively.
The deadlock was broken moments later and, like the two goals that followed before the interval, was a classic counter-attacking effort. Davis won the ball well and found Seeby who slipped a perfect pass between two advancing players and allowed Hann to sprint towards the Bridge Road end of the ground where he crossed low for Martin to guide the ball via his instep past Key for his 10th goal of the season.
One-up in ten minutes was just what the free-scoring Saints wanted and already it was evident that the floodgates, on a pitch that was waterlogged at the weekend, were opening. In a spell of four successive corners – two taken by Hann and two by Ben Walshe – City almost added a second goal with a powerful Clarke header that Key did well to palm over, while the keeper also used his legs well to block a shot from Martin following a pass by Davis.
Somehow Histon, who had already had Erkan Okay and Colin Vowden booked for fouls on Hann and Davis, held out until the 26th minute when a long heave downfield by Bastock was missed on the deck by Okay and his embarrassment was compounded as Hann stayed on his feet to confront Key and calmly fire right-footed to the keepers right for the second goal.
On 31 minutes Lewis, at the back post, headed a free kick back into the goalmouth where Cracknell, currently playing his best football since joining the club, somehow scooped the ball over the bar. But fret not as a third goal was just two minutes away as another impressive build up, started by Patrick Ada, ended with Martin this time supplying the low ball into the box that Clarke, at the second time of asking, poked into the home goal. For Clarke, scoring his 57th goal for the club was the perfect way to celebrate his 100th appearance.
Histon, clearly deflated and clueless how to cope with City’s two wide men, finished the half surprisingly strongly and were only denied a comeback goal by an excellent Bastock save from Matthew Haniver’s fine drive.
The second period was just 30 seconds old when referee Darren Brockwell, who was having a decent game, blew his whistle and slumped to the ground in the centre circle. First aid was swiftly sought and the game was delayed for 17 minutes. Brockwell is said to have had a heart murmur but hopefully it was not too serious and the sight of him walking from the pitch was encouraging before he headed off to hospital. The stricken official was duly replaced in the middle by his senior linesman while a qualified referee was hauled from the crowd and kitted out to run the line. The new official turned out to be anything but new as it was none other than BBC Three Counties ace non-league football reporter David Willacy who picked up the flag – either to the amusement or amazement of his startled son, Gavin – at the end St. Albans were defending.
Referee no.2 was quickly called into action as Okay, obviously fed up at the sight of Hann continually disappearing off into the distance, brought him crashing into the sandpit one more time to receive a second yellow and then red card.
If that wasn’t bad enough for Histon boss Steve Fallon and his coach John Beck the ball was in the back of their net for a fourth time on 51 minutes as Davis dinked a fine pass into Hann’s path and from a tight angle the Bournemouth ‘mature’ student drove in his 13th goal of the season.
For a while City appeared content with what they had and an excellent save by Key as Hann closed in on his second hat trick of the season was just a momentary break from the Saints attempt to play keep ball. But in the latter stages St Albans upped the tempo once again and how ten-man Histon conceded just one more goal is a mystery.
And, on 76 minutes, what a goal it was. Hann, down the City left this time, stroked a short corner back to Scott Cousins, with everyone expecting a cross Cousins carefully rolled the ball into Walshe’s path and the left-sided winger was in no mood to run so unleashed a glorious first time shot that would have scorched the keepers fingers had he laid a glove on it as it whistled into the back of the net from 25 yards.
Two former St Albans City managers gazed down as the leadership headed back to their old club. Gary Roberts, manager of Histon’s local rivals Cambridge City, looked on from the stands as did Garry Hill who, after seeing his own side knocked off the top of the table for the second time in five days, grudgingly mumbled something about City not being a bad side but that Weymouth would have the championship sewn up by March and at least five games before we visit the Wessex Stadium on Easter Monday. |
