A hint of Spring for the visit to The Park of Bedford Town, 11th in the League with 47 points from 27 games. Among their ranks are former Saints Robbie Simpson, Lee Harvey and goalkeeper Duncan Roberts. City, 3rd in the table but in danger of slipping off the pace are looking for some consistency from their early season form. Bedford took 3 points at The Eyrie in October, a disappointing performance by The Saints as I remember.
For today, Cookie selected Wilmot in goal; 4 at the back: Evans, Brown (C), Moran and Naylor; 4 in the midfield: Young, Oakes, Hyatt and Kean; and up front: Crawshaw and Slinn. On the bench: Martin, Campbell, Standen, Lodge and Deacon. Challinor misses his first game of the season, suspended. Gledhill, De Souza and Smith are injured.
This was much better football by St. Albans than of late. They kept the ball on the ground and were threatening in attack. Slinn and Naylor had early half-chances The back 4 were solid and City had the better of the first half but the game changed in the few minutes before half time. An under-hit back-pass from Brown was seized upon by Eagles striker Lynch, and after his first shot was blocked by Wilmot, followed up to clip the rebound into the net. 1-0. Against the run of play, to me.
In the final action of the first half, a cross from the right was gathered by Wilmot who, not for the first time, was clattered by Lynch. The referee blew for half-time and most of the players turned to walk off. Wilmot, seated from the challenge, threw the ball at the backside of the retreating Lynch. (Unlikely to cause much damage?) The referee conferred with the linesman for a long time before showing a red card to the astonished keeper. Violent conduct? Common sense was surely called for. None was shown. H.T. 0-1.
For the second half, Moran took the gloves and City played 3 at the back. Within 5 minutes or so, a Bedford player went down in the box and the referee adjudged Evans to have fouled to the disbelief of the City players. Lynch gave Moran no chance with a well struck penalty kick high to the keepers left. 0-2.
City didn't fold. They kept playing good football with grit but this was going to be an uphill task. Martin came on for the injured Crawshaw, who had worked hard today. On 70 minutes, a long through ball from Oakes found Martin who cooly beat Roberts from 12 yards. 1-2. Standen came on for the tiring Hyatt and Lodge for Slinn. City pressed had much the better of the last 15 minutes. Young came close with a powerful shot just high, a Martin header was just wide, and fierce effort from Kean was well saved by Roberts. It was not to be. F.T. 1-2.
This was very disappointing for City who played good football throughout the game. The sending off of Wilmot was, clearly, the telling incident and the 10 men had too much to do after the penalty early in the second half. Bedford will take the three points but the better side lost today. A good crwowd of 550 or so, with perhaps 200, including 20 dressed as nuns, for good reason, no doubt, down from Bedford. Motm? For me Kean, Crawshaw or Oakes.
Entertainment 7/10. Atmosphere 6/10. Technical merit 7/10. Referee 2/10.
Report by Homer |
