After romping to their biggest Ryman League victory for 139 games St Albans City were swiftly brought down to earth at Stonebridge Road on Bank Holiday Monday as a Che Stadhart goal 19 minutes from time clinched a first home win of the season for Andy Ford's Gravesend & Northfleet side. Given that the Fleet created the better of the few chances to be had it could be said that the Kent club deserved the points but in truth neither side covered themselves in much glory during 90 minutes of mistaken ridden football which never found any rhythm as referee Mr Merchant's whistle sounded all too frequently. The match official, however, was one of the few individuals on show to actually give a decent performance although City had cause for complaint with two decisions in particular.
Firstly, and most significantly, he failed to spot a handball by Fleet captain Scott Lindsay as Junior Samuels prepared to head home from close in and a minute from time the visitors felt aggrieved as Chris Piper collected the Saints third red card in four games. Piper was despatched for comments made to the official after he failed to win a free-kick despite appearing to be tripped from behind by Gravesend defender Matt Lee.
Those moments aside though, this was not a Premier Division fixture to savour. Gravesend started the better of the two sides as City, with David Pratt and Corey Campbell recalled after missing the rout of Hampton, struggled to get into the game. Gravesend could have gone ahead inside the opening minute when Paul Booth headed wide whilst unmarked at a corner and two minutes later a spell of Fleet pressure ended with Jimmy Jackson firing well over. The home side continued to look the most likely to break the deadlock but two good efforts from Stadhart were both well kept out by Laurence Batty.
A rare spell of City possession deep in the Fleet half ended with Mark Rooney firing way over the top, Gravesend hit back strongly with Stadhart, latching onto a deflected ball into the penalty area, clipping a shot from a tight angle over the advancing Batty only for the ball to land on the roof of the net.
The second period saw little change in terms of quality but City were denied a clear penalty five minutes after the restart as Lindsay's outstretched arm stopped Samuels from reaching David Pratt's free-kick. Both sides briefly threatened from set pieces with Gary Ansell forcing Jamie Turner to save low down whilst a well worked Jackson free-kick went over the City bar.
Gravesend secured the points on 71 minutes when Booth neatly controlled a high ball and ran at the City defence until his shot ricocheted off a defender for Stadhart to score his second goal of the long weekend. Only a poor finish by Rob Owen, following a pass from Booth after he easily outstripped the struggling Al-James Hannigan, saved City from falling further behind.
The Gravesend defence was seriously tested for the first time during the final ten minutes as firstly a Spencer Knight cross ended with Turner saving from Samuels while two excellent crosses from Lee Harvey ought to have brought some reward only for Piper's volley from the first to be smothered on the line and from the second City were sadly lacking in numbers close to goal.
Report by Dave Tavener |
