At a rain lashed New Lodge on Tuesday night a Richard Dunwell goal a minute from time sent St Albans City spinning to their third Ryman League defeat in four outings. It was a cruel blow for the Saints at the end of scrappy encounter which saw both sides handed a bizarre goal in front of an unusually muted crowd.
Kevin Mudd made two changes to the Saints side which lost to Aldershot with Chris Piper and David Pratt coming in for Richard Goddard and Junior Samuels. The changes certainly didn't seem to do the Saints any harm as they made a positive start at a ground where they have yet to win a league match.
Inside the opening five minutes both Richard Evans and Chris Piper tried their luck from distance but fired well wide of the target but the Saints only had to wait until the 14th minute before taking a fortuitous lead. Danny Jones blocked a defensive clearance, Pratt quickly knocked the loose ball into the penalty area which the diving Gavin King appeared to smother before seeing it spill out of his grasp leaving Piper with a simple chance to score for the third successive away match.
For a while City looked comfortably placed as they played the ball around in some style but as the half wore on the game became scrappy and as with the Aldershot match the Saints lack of penetration became obvious, a situation which was highlighted by leading scorer Gary Ansell doing most of his best work out by the touchline.
At the opposite end of the pitch City were solid and with some resolute defending made the Billericay attack look very ordinary, on the few occasions the visitors backline was breached Laurence Batty was on hand to tidy up. Batty, whose handling in the wet conditions was exemplary, saved twice in quick succession from Dunwell just prior to the interval but Billericay looked a different proposition after the break as they upped the tempo considerably.
Within the opening ten seconds of the restart Town midfielder Joe Baker surged through the City defence and pulled the ball back for Dunwell to strike the woodwork and for a short while City were pushed back before responding with a couple of efforts from Ansell which King did well to cling onto. But the possibility of the Saints ending Town's eight month unbeaten home record faded in the 66th minute courtesy of a dispiriting own goal. Dunwell crossed from the Billericay right and there appeared to be little danger as Batty called for the ball but he was left flat footed as Al-James Hannigan got to it first and sent a looping heading just inside the near post.
Five minutes later Piper helped the ball onto Jones who beat a couple of defenders on the edge of the penalty area before sending his shot narrowly over the crossbar. During the closing stages both sides had chances to win the game with Corey Campbell, Pratt and Jones all having opportunities to revive City's fortunes but increased activity around the Saints penalty area ended with Dunwell scrambling home the decisive goal, in the 89th minute, after Williams shot had been deflected high into the air.
Report by Dave Tavener |
