ST ALBANS CITY emerged from a bruising encounter at Clarence Park on Saturday with another potentially vital point in their quest for Blue Square South survival and but for three excellent saves by Newport County keeper Glyn Thompson the Saints could well have chalked a long awaited third home league win in the past twelve months.
City may feel that Thompson denied them two extra points but also the Exiles know that they also missed out on the full quota courtesy of some truly dreadful finishing at the opposite end of the pitch with Charlie Griffin the main culprit.
This was a gruelling, hard fought slog with quality passing football at a premium but as City look to avoid the humiliation of a second successive relegation concern about how the points are gathered is low on the list of priorities.
Saints boss Steve Castle gave a debut to 17-year old Southend United Reserve team midfielder Luke Thurlbourne. The youngster showed himself to be fearless in the tackle, full of energy and a highly promising individual who picked up a thoroughly undeserved yellow card from referee Michael Rowley who failed to impress either team.
With Dean Cracknell unwell, City lined up with Paul Hakim wide on the right and the free from suspension Paul Bruce on the left of midfield with skipper Lee Clarke restored to the attack. Jomo Faal-Thomas returned at right back in place of the injured Hasim Deen.
The opening exchanges saw the ball take quite a beating as the two sides belted it long and high before attempting to play with the sphere on the ground. Not that the physical nature of the game fully relented and City’s central defensive duo of Ban Martin and the excellent Ryan Frater certainly had their hands full in containing Griffin and the more physically demanding Jermaine Clarke.
County, looking to cement their place in the play-off positions by completing the double over the Saints, squandered a good chance on 14 minutes when Jason Bowen crossed low to Ian Hillier who fluffed his shot but the ball bounced off Frater and caused City an anxious few moments before it was whacked to safety.
A promising City move involving Bruce and Faal-Thomas worked the ball up to Thurlbourne whose powerful shot on the turn went comfortably wide. Moments later Faal-Thomas and Jermaine Clarke were forced to don new shirts as both had blood stains following a cut to the mouth of the latter.
Thompson was called upon to make his first save on 21 minutes when a Simon Martin header from a well struck Bruce free kick almost sneaked high inside the keeper’s left hand upright. County hit back with a spell of pressure but the poor finishing of Peter Beadle’s side was epitomised by headers over the top from Bowen and Griffin.
Other good moves by the visitors broke down around the edge of the box due to the sheer strength of Ben Martin and Frater but Bowen went close with a fine angled volley right across the face of the goal after Nick Eyre had punched wide a Richard Evans corner.
Just after the half hour Hakim won City’s first corner of the afternoon but Bruce’s inswinging ball was wasted as Thompson was allowed to gather unchallenged when it appeared the perfect height for an incoming striker. Thompson was again soon in action when Simon Martin shrugged off the injured Hillier only to see his shot comfortably taken by the visitors custodian.
Thompson again came to Newport’s rescue in the 44th minute when Simon Martin won an aerial challenge to Eyre’s long ball and reacted quickly as the ball came down but again Thompson, no more than a couple of yards from the City forward, did well to spread himself and save with his legs.
County ought to have taken the lead three minutes after the break when Jermaine Clarke smartly headed the ball square to Griffin only for the former Wycombe striker to volley tamely wide of the Hatfield Road goal.
The second half continued with the lack of quality seen earlier but at times it was extremely open with both defences frequently tested although Newport, quite amazingly considering the good positions they created, failed to muster a single on target effort.
On 50 minutes Clarke, receiving a clever punt over a crowd of players down the middle of the County defence from Faal-Thomas, headed straight through to Thompson who parried and then smothered the ball just before Clarke could slide in. While three minutes later the visitors almost stole a freak goal when an Eyre clearance thudded into Griffin, who was walking away innocently, with the ball bouncing dangerous around the penalty area before being cleared.
Midway through the half Lee Clarke had a shot from distance collected by Thompson while at the opposite end Jermaine Clarke headed weakly wide from close in following a fine Evans corner. The final ten minutes, 15 including added time, saw the ball ping from end to end and it did seem that one side would snatch all three points.
Newport sent on the experienced and powerfully built Julian Alsop and from his pass the industrious Lee Fowler crossed but the ball proved just too long for the free Griffin at the back post. County quickly regained possession with Bowen passing to Steve Jenkins then moving forward to take the return and send a perfect low ball into the six yard box to Griffin who, somehow, when a goal appeared the only possible outcome, scooped the ball straight up allowing Eyre to scamper across and punch the ball away.
Moments later Hakim sent Lee Clarke through the middle but again Thompson was supremely fast off his line to deny the Northern Ireland international in his 199th game for the Saints. The tempo refused to yield with Bowen exchanging passes with Alsop and racing into the home penalty area where, under pressure from Cousins, the former Welsh international fell to the ground but failed to impress Mr Rowley.
City ended the game strongly when a Hassan Sulaiman shot was blocked and Thompson was forced to save when Thurlbourne followed up. And in the dying seconds Simon Martin did well to unsettle two County defenders with an attempted clearance striking the City man but rebounding well wide of the visitors goal.
Following the game, Steve Castle confirmed that Ben Walshe’s latest stint with the club has ended after just two appearances while long term injury victim Chris Seeby is optimistic of undergoing an operation on his damaged knee later this month.
Report by Dave Tavener |
