Ritchie Hanlon savoured victory for the first time in his fledgling managerial career on Friday night as St Albans City handed early high flyers Bishop's Stortford their first defeat of the season during a thrilling Blue Square South encounter at a warm Woodside Park.
City shrugged off their goal-shy mantle to triple their tally for the season as Hanlon made five changes to the side defeated by Fisher Athletic the previous weekend. In came new signings Paul Smith, Folawiyo Onibuje and substitute Alex Boult while top billing for the new boys went to right back Damian Batt at the start of his second spell with the Saints. Batt forged a formidable partnership with the outstanding Hassan Sulaiman although Hasim Deen and Nick Eyre were not far behind in the man of the match stakes.
Playing their first match in the post-Matt Hann era Batt and Sulaiman were a revelation down City�s often staid right flank but the early omens were not good for the Saints when, on 106 seconds, a blistering low 22-yard Stortford free kick from the outstanding Greg Pearson was deflected in to the roof of the net by the otherwise faultless Scott Cousins.
Bishop�s threatened to run riot early on as Roy Essandoh and then Pearson both flashed the ball across the face of the Saints goal while the latter also went close following a swift break and Loui Fazakerley missed the ball from close in after a flighted Jason Mason free kick.
City were not without chances themselves and looked lively on the break with passing of a far higher quality than previously seen this season, even so the equaliser on 19 minutes came as something of a surprise. After Batt and Sulaiman had worked the ball down the wing a pass inside was helped into the box by substitute Danny Morgan � on for hamstring victim Onibuje � and smartly clipped home by Mark Beard.
Two minutes later and a Bishop�s defence that had not been breached at home this season prior to the game was opened up in spectacular fashion. Stortford defender Carl Patten lost possession and allowed Hector Mackie to move through the middle before slipping the ball in Morgan�s path for the former Blues striker to side-step keeper Andy Young and put City ahead.
Only a desperate intervention stopped Smith from sending Morgan clear again a minute later but an even better tackle was witnessed at the opposite end as Batt quite superbly blocked Pearson on the edge of the box when Eyre was stranded some way from his goal. Soon after Eyre demonstrated his undoubted ability when producing a quick fire and stunning double save from Essandoh and Pearson at the cost of a corner.
Deen, in addition to winning countless headers in front of his own penalty area, went close following a Cousins cross but on 38 minutes City did strike again. Excellent work by the ebullient Clarke created an opening and after a miscued Sulaiman effort rebounded generously to him off Morgan the midfielder fired home from 12 yards.
The half ended in bizarre circumstances for Bishop�s left back Mark Wright who, two minutes after sending a glorious 30-yard effort crashing into an upright, was dismissed following an ugly over the top lunge on the irrepressible Sulaiman.
Ten-man Stortford started the second period impressively with Essandoh going close and a desperate diving block by Gary Elphick denying Pearson. But on 50 minutes the game turned again as Mason�s inswinging corner was headed downwards to bounce high in the net by Patten.
As City went through their sloppiest period of the game Stortford sought to pull level but their numerical shortage was proving a handicap. St Albans almost settled the issue with a fine curling effort from Beard that Young caught cleanly while a cracking half volley from Morgan flew narrowly wide after Elphick and Clarke challenged for a Beard cross. An excellent move that saw Mackie burst down the right and cross perfectly low into the goalmouth looked ripe for Morgan to score only for former Saint Matt Jones to get in a wonderful tackle inside the six yard box.
Cousins constantly demonstrated the quality City have been missing during his prolonged absence through injury and when one of his crosses was partially cleared Batt unleashed a ferocious drive that Young did well to palm over. But Hanlon�s side were not be kept waiting long for a fourth goal and on 75 minutes, with Clarke twice involved in a slick build up, the Bishop�s were dismantled once more. Cousins also played a significant part before Clarke put Sulaiman clear and despite Young getting a hand on the ball he could not prevent the former Crawley Town player from claiming his second of the night.
A minute later both substitute Michael Harvey and Clarke almost forced home a Morgan cross but Stortford ensured a tense finish when Fazakerley, seemingly going nowhere, turned two City defenders and beat Eyre with a superb effort high to keepers left from 20 yards.
Stortford refused to surrender their unbeaten record without a fight and in added time, as keeper Young joined a crowded penalty area for a Mason corner, Jack Midson rose to send a fine header smashing into the frame of the goal but City had survived and moved out of the bottom three.
Report Courtesy of The St Albans & Harpenden Review |
