01.11.2008 at 15:00 Hayes Lane
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Attendance : 370
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Bromley
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2 - 3
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St Albans City
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Referee : Barry Holderness (Essex)
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Blue Square South
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Mark Corneille (45, 82) |
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By David Tavener
Neither Bromley nor atrocious weather could slow St Albans City’s march into the top six of Blue Square South on Saturday as a pair of opportunist goals by leading scorer Paul Hakim and a slice of sublime skill by Gary Cohen secured a 3-2 victory for the Saints at a storm battered Hayes Lane.
Driving rain and a chill breeze made conditions difficult for both sides but after a dismal opening 45 minutes the 370 souls that braved the elements were rewarded with an open and entertaining second half that saw the Saints seemingly in complete control until being forced to battle right to the end to ensure all three points returned to Hertfordshire.
With injury ruling out Lee Clarke for the next three to four weeks, the City side virtually picked itself while Bromley’s starting XI is on the verge of disintegration as the club bows to the acute financial crisis facing the country and cuts its cloth accordingly with reductions to manager Mark Goldberg’s budget.
With the wind and rain to their backs City were handed an early gift when a loose pass from Moses Swaibu fell straight to Cohen who sent Simon Martin away down the City right. Martin clipped a low cross beyond the far post to Jonathan Hunt whose shot was easily gathered by goalkeeper Gareth Williams.
A minute later and Martin’s afternoon was over when a crude challenge by Fiston Manuella resulted in a twisted knee for the City striker. Despite departing on a stretcher Martin’s injury is thought to be none too serious and a prolonged lay off is not anticipated.
James Quilter, recalled to replace Clarke, also picked up an early yellow card when a good old fashioned strong sliding tackle saw the midfielder take the ball but also send Manuella tumbling in the process. The challenge was not malicious but having come from behind his opponent a booking was inevitable.
The incessant rain made the air feel colder than it actually was and neither side seemed happy in the conditions, as decent passing football appeared an impossibility. City’s attacks suffered from a succession of over hit passes from the back that rolled harmlessly out of play although Williams was called upon to make a save when Karl Murray lost possession inside the penalty to Cohen whose rising shot was well held by the keeper.
City hopes of beating the Kent club for a fifth successive time were given a massive boost on the half hour courtesy of a dreadful misjudgement by Williams. Ben Martin cut short a Bromley attack and played the ball wide to James Fisher whose pass down the City right sent Hakim scuttling towards the goal line.
When attempting to cut inside Hakim was fouled by Rob Gillman. From virtually on the goal line and ten yards in from the corner flag, Hunt curled the free-kick to just under the crossbar where Williams tapped it meekly against the woodwork with Hakim lunging in to slide home City’s 100th league goal under Steve Castle.
Bromley pressed to make an immediate response but found a man-mountain in Ben Martin who made two excellent tackles and a headed clearance to keep the Lilywhites at bay. The half ended with both sides appealing in vain for a penalty.
Bromley were first to shout when Nic McDonnell went down theatrically following a Ben Martin tackle. With a swift counter-attack St Albans broke down their left with Sam Hurrell, on for Simon Martin, looking to cut into the into penalty area before being scythed down by home skipper Mark Corneille who was promptly cautioned.
Bromley withdrew Manuella at the interval with Ashley-Paul Robinson given his third league outing. The somewhat rotund Robinson appeared to offer little threat but within a few minutes was showing a range of delightful touches and close skills that breathed new life into Bromley and played a full part in bringing the game to life.
City, now playing into the heavier rainfall, began the half most impressively with Ryan Frater stretching to head wide from a Hunt free-kick while Luke Thurlbourne, who seemed to revel in the conditions more than most, curled a fine effort from 20-yards narrowly wide.
But the Saints were not to be denied for long and on 55 minutes doubled their advantage. After a patient build up down the right Fisher crossed to the back post where Cohen forced Williams dive to his left to save, but the keeper could do nothing to stop Hakim from pouncing to drive home the rebound from ten yards.
Hakim just failed to reach a Hunt cross to complete his hat-trick before Bromley pulled a goal back on the hour. Ben Martin was about to clear his lines when slipping on the sodden surface. As the City skipper gazed up from his watery bed former City duo Warren McBean and Nic McDonnell took for advantage with the latter tapping home McBean’s low cross from close in.
Memories of the staid football of earlier in the afternoon were brushed aside as the game almost took on the cut and thrust of a cup tie with chances created at either end. The excellent Hunt, set up by Hurrell and Hakim, fired a 20-yard drive just wide before McBean got into a good position only to delay his shot and eventually pass to the surprised McDonnell whose effort was saved in comfort by Bastock.
Bromley came again on 75 minutes with Robinson involved in the build up before taking the ball from McBean and hammering in a low shot that again went just beyond the target. More goals beckoned as Thurlbourne chipped an exquisite ball to the back post where Hakim looped a header just over the top, and shortly after Thurlbourne was again the provider with a free-kick that went wide off the head of Ben Martin.
Eight minutes from time Bromley’s cause suffered a severe blow when Corneille was cautioned for a second time when holding back Cohen as the striker raced down the City right flank.
In the context of other challenges it appeared a relatively innocuous offence but referee Barry Holderness, whose performance was far from the best seen this season, waved a second yellow and then red card at the Ravens skipper. Corneille now holds the dubious distinction of being the first player dismissed in any of City’s 19 matches this season.
With just four minutes remaining City took full advantage of their numerical supremacy to score three times on their travels in the league for the first time since March. And what a goal it was.
Thurlbourne confirmed his return to full fitness when playing a short pass to Hunt before scurrying past the veteran midfielder to take a return ball down the City right.
After continuing his run through the strength-sapping deluge Thurlbourne drilled the ball low into the goalmouth where Cohen let the ball run between his legs before applying a deft flick with his right instep to guide the third City goal to the right of the startled Williams.
City were in party mood and almost added a fourth when Hunt sent Hakim away but the strikers shot was beaten away by Williams for a corner.
St Albans looked content with what they had as their run of five straight single-goal victories looked set to end with a more healthy two-goal win, but sloppiness in trying to employ unsporting time-wasting tactics proved costly.
In trying to eat into four minutes of added time by standing on the ball by a corner flag City lost possession and were caught napping. McBean knocked the ball down the Bromley right to substitute Anthony Joseph who, with all the time in the world, clipped a cross to the back post where the equalled unattended McDonnell was able to head in, none to convincingly, his 72nd goal in 137 games for the club.
Fortunately for City it was just too late to stop Castle from celebrating his second Manager of the Month award with a fourth successive away Blue Square South success. |
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