A football match every bit as cold and uninviting as the wintry weather that engulfed Cressing Road on Saturday brought about the end of St Albans City’s eight match unbeaten run in Blue Square South as Sean Marks’ 75th minute strike secured the points for managerless Braintree Town.
Bereft of injured strikers Paul Hakim, Simon Martin and Lee Clarke, City were toothless going forward and once the irrepressible central defender Ryan Frater went off with another injury the defence too looked less secure than has been the norm this season. Manager Steve Castle admitted that his side ‘didn’t turn up’.
Braintree’s victory, which ended a run of six games against the Saints without success, extends the Iron’s current form to just one defeat in nine league matches – the same as that of St Albans. Despite this record it was not enough to save manager Lee Patterson who lost his position at Cressing Road in midweek; such is the impatience of football chairmen nowadays.
Under the temporary leadership of caretaker player/manager Brad Quinton, Braintree made a positive start with James Hawes forcing Paul Bastock into a low save inside the opening minute. Although other clear chances were scarce Town kept the upper hand early on as City hid in the fast falling fog.
Referee Sean Feerick was busy from the off as he awarded four free kicks against the Saints inside the opening three minutes yet it was three names of the hosts that eventually found their way into his notebook.
St Albans took until the 20th minute to create a worthwhile opening when Iron keeper Craig Holloway was well placed to catch a half volley by Luke Thurlbourne from just outside the penalty area after a Jonathan Hunt corner had been headed away.
Hunt was City’s most creative player during the opening 45 minutes but it was only towards the interval that the Saints enjoyed any prolonged spells of possession. But a swift break on 40 minutes almost led top Braintree forging ahead.
Hawes gave chase to a through ball but his shot was blocked by Bastock who had moved swiftly from his goal and the City keeper then showed great agility in moving to his right to block Hawes follow up effort to hand Braintree their first corner of the game.
Two minutes from the break Thurlbourne received a short corner from Hunt and whipped over an excellent cross that Adam Everitt, normally so reliable in the air, just failed to make contact with close to goal. Braintree struggled to clear their lines with the ball breaking to Sulaiman whose shot went comfortably wide.
Thurlbourne was again involved seconds from the interval when another Hunt corner, City’s fifth and last of the match, was knocked away to the edge of the penalty area where the on loan midfielder drove a shot a few yards wide of Holloway’s goal.
City kept the momentum going immediately after the restart and should have been ahead on 46 minutes. Bradley Gray slipped the ball out to the right to Sulaiman who beat Mark Jones with ease and crossed to the edge of the six yard box where Cohen controlled the ball with his back to goal, turned and poked a close range shot against the post.
Injury forced the withdrawal of Wayne O’Sullivan on 53 minutes with former Saint Chris Piper moving into the Iron midfield.
As the game wore on City found it increasingly difficult to break down the Town defence although a fine angled cross from the left by Hunt picked out Bradley Gray at the far post but his audacious attempt at a volley flew harmlessly high and wide.
After a spell of inactivity for the home attack Marks tried his luck with a lengthy run only to send his shot from 25 yards well wide the visitors goal. St Albans responded with one of their best moves of the entire game. Ben Martin and Gray worked the ball wide to Sulaiman who played it inside to Cohen then continued his run into the penalty area to collect Cohen’s clever back heel.
Sulaiman pushed the ball past Jones as the Iron defender dived in but referee Feerick waved aside loud penalty appeals as the City winger went down.
On 71 minutes Jon Munday came on for his league debut as the commanding Frater hobbled towards the touchline. Five minutes after Frater’s departure and City were behind.
Louis Riddle won a corner down the Braintree left off James Fisher despite the right back’s strenuous claim for a goal kick. One-time Saint Micky Shinn sent the corner to the edge of the penalty area where Billy Burgess headed the ball into a crowded goalmouth for Marks to smash home the only goal of the game from point blank range.
Immediately after the goal City shuffled their pack with Sam Hurrell replacing Sulaiman. Hurrell went to the left of the midfield with Hunt switching to the opposite flank.
Braintree should have put the result beyond doubt when Riddle sent a poor header to Everitt but the defenders attempt to find Bastock was equally wayward and fell straight to Marks. In his eagerness to add to City’s woes Marks got the ball tangled between his feet and stumbled to the ground as the sphere bobbled gently wide of the target.
There was scant likelihood of St Albans salvaging even a point and but for a wonderful double save by Bastock, which included a spectacular block to his left from Hawes cracking volley, the margin of defeat would have been greater.
And Braintree almost did add a second during the fifth minute of added time when substitute Gareth Williams got the goalline and saw his cut back deflect high off Everitt and clip the top of the crossbar. |
