ST ALBANS CITY’s recent run of improved performances continued at Church Road on Tuesday night but in going down 2-1 to Hayes & Yeading United the Saints are fully aware that another decent showing without victory during this Saturday’s relegation showdown with Maidenhead United at Clarence Park could have catastrophic consequences. City, unchanged from Saturday’s win at Dorchester, had the better of the first half exchanges and with their midfield dominating the Hayes & Yeading middle wall of five players, a second successive away win was a distinct possibility. Unfortunately for the Saints, the Middlesex outfit were much sharper, determined and stylish after the break and just about deserved their victory, which was achieved despite the highly rated Josh Scott sending a penalty high over the visitor’s goal. Hayes began positively with efforts from the excellent James Mulley and Will Hendry, while City went close on 13 minutes when Hasim Deen found Simon Martin down the left and from his low cross Paul Hakim twisted well only to shoot tamely through to home keeper Alessio De Angelis. Simon Martin, lining up against the side he is currently on to St Albans from, won a free kick off Nevin Saroya but Dean Cracknell’s woeful effort into the defensive wall typified the Saints lack of invention from set pieces this season. But Cracknell was more impressive on 26 minutes as he battled his way through a crowd of players before sending a rising shot wide of the Italian keeper only for the ball to brush against the outside of the net. City played plenty of good passing football during the opening 45 minutes and a wonderful piece of skill by Deen created space for the former Gambian Youth international to send Simon Martin away only for the ball to just roll out of play before Martin could pounce. With Ryan Frater and the excellent Ben Martin dominant at the heart of the City defence, Hayes could make little headway although Mulley, after exchanges passes with Scott, created a good opening only to fire high over the target. A spell of City pressure late in the half saw Deen and Clarke cause problems with headers but Hayes & Yeading, swift on the counter-attack, almost broke through when Scott poked Mulley’s drive towards goal only for Eyre to nudge the ball against the woodwork with Ben Martin happy to concede a corner. Garry Haylock’s side, with just one win from their previous six Blue Square South matches, were a different proposition and the break and the dominance Cracknell and the impressive James Quilter enjoyed prior to the interval was no longer evident. Just 50 seconds after the restart and City were in trouble as Cracknell tripped Hendry inside the penalty area but City hopes rose again seconds later as Scott’s dreadful spot kick cleared the perimeter fencing and drifted into the car park. Despite Hayes starting the half in a forceful manner City created a couple chances for themselves. Simon Martin stretched to reach a Hakim cross and clipped the ball over the bar while a curling effort from Hakim was not far away from De Angelis’s left hand post. City, though, were being fully stretched and on 56 minutes Hayes took the lead when Hendry received Kieran Knight’s pass and from 20 yards drilled in a powerful shot that keeper Eyre admitted he should have kept out but saw fly through his hands on its way into the goal. Two minutes later and the City keeper was again picking the ball out of the net as Scott unleashed a glorious low first time effort from the edge of the box, following a perfect pass from Liam Collins, that appeared to sneak under the diving City keeper. In between times City had a penalty appeal rejected when a Cousins cross seemed to strike a defenders arm but on 61 minutes City did reduce the arrears. Cousins, some 30 yards out, stretched to poke a short pass out to the left sided Marcel McKie who raced to the goalline. McKie cut a low cross towards the near post where Cracknell, the keeper and a defender all converged only for the ball to bounce up for Clarke, virtually on the goalline, to score his first goal in 803 minutes. A gripping finale was on the cards but Hayes hit back powerfully and when Ben Martin impeded Scott, Hendry struck a cracking free kick that Eyre spectacularly tipped over the bar. With their confidence restored the home side began to string together a succession of fine passing moves that frequently troubled the visitors. Saints manager Steve Castle sought to disrupt Hayes & Yeading’s flow by withdrawing McKie, with Jomo Faal-Thomas going to right back and the battling Deen into midfield, and to their credit City did create a couple of reasonable openings. One flowing move ended with Hakim sliding the ball across the face of the goal while Cousins looked to be shoved in the back but instead of winning a penalty was warned by referee Lee Collins for an alleged dive. As City forced a late corner Hayes pulled every player back but still caused major problems when Scott broke free at some pace and drove the ball across the face of the St Albans goal. In the final Hayes & Yeading came close to scoring the outstanding goal of the season as a succession of short passes teased the Saints until Mulley took more direct action and after playing the ball up to Scott took a return pass and hammered a half volley goalwards but straight at the relieved Eyre.
Report by David Tavener |