ST ALBANS City’s dramatic turnaround in fortunes moved into overdrive in deepest Sussex on Saturday with a fully merited and stunning 2-0 victory at the Dripping Pan toppling Lewes from the summit of Blue Square South.
City scored twice, the first from a rejuvenated Lee Clarke an absolute peach, and had the ball in the net on two other occasions as the deposed leaders showed late season jitters whilst the Saints brimmed with confidence and recorded a third consecutive victory that was every bit as convincing as the scoreline suggests.
Lewes pointed to a growing injury list that included former Saint Tom Davis who damaged his right knee in training on Thursday. For their part City recalled James Fisher in place of Hasim Deen who had been unavailable for training during the week. Otherwise City were unchanged from the previous weeks 4-1 win over Basingstoke Town.
Inside two minutes St Albans almost ruffled the feathers of the Rooks when Paul Hakim stayed behind the home defence as Paul Bastock hammered a goal kick three quarters the length of the pitch with only a desperate lunge by Steve Robinson stopping the City striker from breaking clear.
Lewes first threatened on six minutes when Charlie Ide and Paul Booth worked the ball wide to Andrew Drury. Booth continued his run to accept Drury’s back post cross but could only stab the ball into the side netting.
The Saints backline of Scott Cousins, Ryan Frater, Ben Martin and the always steady and impressive James Fisher looked as solid as any defence seen in Blue Square South this season although Frater suffered an anxious moment on 11 minutes. Booth dispossessed Frater down the City left and rampaged forward before slipping a good ball to the edge of the penalty area where only a piece of high quality defending by Fisher blocked Ide.
Although referee Simon Knapp blew for 25 free kicks during the opening half the game was surprisingly open with City more than holding their own. The visitors bright opening was almost rewarded on 14 minutes when Fisher and Hakim worked the ball across the box to Paul Bruce whose shot lacked direction and flew across the face of Steve Williams’ goal.
Another chance went begging midway through the half when Fisher played the ball up to Wasiu Akanni Sunday and when a defensive slip sent the Nigerian clear a goal beckoned. Sunday shot low as Williams closed down the angle but the effort lacked power and the keeper saved low to his right.
The Rooks were sliced open again two minutes later when Robinson’s headed clearance to the halfway line was knocked back over the home defence by the excellent Luke Thurlbourne. Hakim, a constant threat, raced clear only to screw his shot across the home goal and wide of the target.
City did get the ball into the net when Bruce fired a wickedly curling and powerful corner inside Williams back post only for Lewes to be awarded a free kick for pushing. It proved no more than a temporary reprieve as City went ahead on the half hour.
Cousins, on the Saints left, threw the ball in to Hakim who in turn slipped it inside to Clarke. Twisting inside Clarke made space for himself and from close on 25 yards beat Williams with a magnificent right-footed drive high to the keepers right as City edged towards a fourth successive win at the Dripping Pan.
Lewes hit back with an attack that ended with Bastock, who has been a monumental influence on the Saints recovery, dived forward to punch the ball away. Hassan Sulaiman led a counter attack and played the ball up to Hakim who, after darting in from the right, cut the ball to the back post to Bruce whose firm drive struck the outside of Williams right hand upright.
Six minutes from the break City suffered a potential setback when Bastock and Fisher collided when dealing with a cross. The veteran keeper only continued after treatment from physio Jason Laird.
Within three minutes of the restart fears that City would be punished for not turning first half chances into goals diminished as Sunday sent Hakim away. This time the former Stevenage striker attempted to lift the ball over Williams but the keeper stretched up to save.
City maintained the pressure when Bruce stretched to keep the ball in play, something that he achieved with a cheeky drag-back with the aid of a hand that referee Knapp failed to spot, and linked up with Cousins who won a free kick just wide of the penalty area. Bruce’s dead-ball drive was partially cleared to Clarke whose shot from distance went a yard over the goal.
Bastock was tested for the first time since taking his knock when Jay Conroy lifted a free kick into the goalmouth but the Bostonian caught the ball with no apparent discomfort. And Bastock made his most significant contribution to the game just after the hour when Lewes constructed their sole on target shot of the afternoon.
Booth played ball left to Ide then moved to the edge of the penalty area to take the return pass. Seeing Bastock off his line the Rooks leading marksman attempted to chip the keeper only for Bastock to pull off a spectacular fingertip save that flicked the ball onto the roof of the net.
Steve King’s side continued to push forward but when Jamie Cade looked to have worked a good opening Martin stepped across and ended the threat with a crunching and fair challenge.
Having weathered the Rooks best spell St Albans regained the upper hand with the midfield proving too strong for the home middle line. Lewes survived a close call when Bruce whipped a free kick towards the near post that just eluded Hakim when the merest touch would surely have resulted in a goal.
A second City goal was an increasing possibility and Sunday almost provided it with a replica of Ricky Villa’s thrilling goal for Tottenham in the 1981 FA Cup Final. Sunday pushed a pass to Hakim and after collecting a back heeled return pass, weaved his way past at least two defenders only to stab his shot a couple of yards wide.
Another flurry from the home side faltered at the head of Clarke who after heading away a Gary Holloway free kick for a corner then rose close to the City goal to nod to safety a cross by the same player from by the corner flag.
Four minutes from time City finally made certain of winning three successive league games for the first time since March 2006 with a slightly fortuitous second goal.
Thurlbourne intercepted the ball midway inside the Lewes half and spread it wide to Bruce whose crisp low cross from the left flank towards the foot of the near post was fumbled by Williams. Sunday nipped in to clip the ball into the middle of the six-yard box for Hakim to tuck away his third goal in four games.
In the first minute of added time Hakim tucked the ball into the net again when diverting a Sulaiman shot but a raised flag saved Lewes from further embarrassment. During more than five minutes of added time Lewes sought to reduce the deficit but the when Paul Kennett lined up to shoot from the clearest opening Fisher flung himself forward to make a spectacular block.
Report by David Tavener |
