ST ALBANS CITY fears of a second successive relegation eased slightly on Saturday as the Saints sauntered to a comfortable 3-0 victory at the Avenue Stadium over fellow strugglers Dorchester Town who, on this evidence, look racing certainties to be the first full time club to drop out of Blue Square South.
A match between two sides boasting a grand combined total of two wins from their previous 27 league games was never likely to be a classic but the manner with which City returned the favour of the Magpies win by the same score at Clarence Park on the opening day of the season suggests that only one of these two outfits appears capable of securing survival.
City, without creating a multitude of chances, bossed the game from early and when Dorchester suffered two cruel blows on 26 minutes the contest was as good as over. It was at this time City took the lead with a well-crafted goal. Lee Clarke, from just outside the penalty area, lifted a quite majestic the ball over the stunned home defence for Simon Martin to latch onto and, from an angle, be faced with just keeper Simon Evans to beat.
An awkward spin on the ball persuaded Martin to clip a pass into the middle instead of going for goal himself and for Dorchester that spelled trouble as their retreating captain Mark Jermyn only succeeded in heading the ball into his own net.
Possibly even more damaging for the Dorset club was that keeper Evans, in attempting to reach Jermyn’s header, badly twisted a knee and was stretchered from the action. Without a substitute keeper on the bench Town sent on central defender Alex Browne to cover between the sticks.
Prior to the goal City, with Paul Hakim back in their ranks after an unsuccessful spell with Stevenage Borough, had gone close with a Simon Martin header from a Scott Cousins free kick. Both sides completely wasted early long range free kicks with Jon Docker sending a Magpies effort into the adjoining Tesco car park while Ryan Frater despatched a City attempt in the general direction of Weymouth.
City forced the only two corners of the half on eight minutes, both taken by Dean Cracknell, and these were followed moments later by the loudest cheer of the afternoon as news broke that Havant & Waterlooville had taken the lead at Liverpool.
The match was effectively over a contest on 38 minutes when City, on course for a third straight win in three trips to the Avenue Stadium, doubled their advantage with a fine goal. Simon Martin, receiving a ball to feet on the halfway line touched a short pass to Clarke who spread the play out to the left to Marcel McKie. With space in front of him, the former Tottenham youngster darted into the penalty area and cut a not totally convincing shot across Browne and in off the keepers left hand post for his first goal for the club.
Dorchester suffered another injury in the build up to that goal with Jake Smeaton being the unfortunate player to be withdrawn this time, to be replaced by the diminutive yet talented Tereq Khalil.
Three minutes after the interval Browne justified his donning of the keepers jersey with a fine double save. Hakim, coming in from the City right, rode two challenges only to see his low drive well parried by Browne who then repeated the trick as Clarke, after taking careful aim, was denied his first goal nine games.
Browne was less convincing moments later as he missed an inswinging Cousins corner but as the ball was bundled over the goalline referee Adam Matthews, who gave a fine display in a game of few flashpoints, blew for a foul on the makeshift custodian.
Twelve minutes into the half and Dorchester, briefly, threatened a comeback of sorts. Docker sent Jones Awuah clear forcing Nick Eyre to race from his goal. The City keeper spread himself well and somehow threw up his left arm to block Awuah’s clever chipped effort, the ball was duly whacked out to safety. Tom Mitchell received the ensuring throw in and crossed deep to Jamie Gleeson whose header was sent high over that target by Awuah’s extravagant overhead kick.
Within the next minute both Hakim and Clarke put poor shots well over the home goal from the edge of the penalty area but on 61 minutes City did secure their fourth league victory of the season. Hakim played the ball into Clarke who in turn helped it on to Cracknell whose shot thudded into the underside of the crossbar. As the ball dropped, Simon Martin, from 12 yards, headed goalwards with the ball again hitting the underside of the bar and clipping Browne on its way into the goal. Martin trotted off to do perfect somersault to celebrate his third goal in as many games.
City used the remaining time to give a run out to three substitutes including the returning fans favourite Ben Walshe who is clearly a tad above his best playing condition but still possess a clinical left foot that is the equal of any in the non-league game.
The match ended on an unsavoury note when Docker, angry after not being awarded a free kick following a challenge by Cracknell, launched himself with a shocking two footed lunge on Cousins. With players from both sides quickly involved, referee Matthews waited for the storm to pass before issuing Cousins and the more fortunate Docker with yellow cards.
Report by Dave Tavener |
