Classic goal-line poachers' goals by strikers Paul Hakim and Gary Cohen secured a 2-0 victory for St Albans City over Dorchester Town at Clarence Park on Tuesday night and extended the Saints impressive unbeaten Blue Square South run to seven games.
City's victory keeps Steve Castle's side tenth the table but the current undefeated run, during which time just one goal has been conceded, has, in all probability, come too late to salvage the play-off place the club looked to be edging towards at the start of winter before enduring a 12-match winless run.
Castle opted for the same starting XI that gained a lifeless draw with Newport County at the weekend while Dorchester, who included former City favourite Ashley Vickers in their line up, made three changes from the side beaten 3-0 at home by Maidenhead United on Saturday.
For most of the opening 45 minutes the game seemed as though it was going to be an open and entertaining affair but ultimately failed to hit the heights and a second half interrupted by the constant blowing of referee Sean Feerick's whistle left few disappointed when the Peterborough match official gave one final blast as rain descended on the Victorian park.
Playing towards the Hatfield Road goal, St Albans were positive from the off and inside two minutes Magpies keeper Gareth Stewart was scampering across his goal to save a low drive from James Fisher following a Jonathan Hunt corner.
The early pace of the game bordered on frantic but Solomon Shields showed great composure on 13 minutes with good ball down the right hand side of the Town defence that Simon Martin latched onto and arrowed into the goalmouth for Hakim to score his 17th goal of the season from close in.
It was Hakim's tenth goal at Clarence Park this season, his seventh in the Hatfield Road goal and also City's 50th league goal of the campaign.
A minute later and Stewart had to stretch high into the chill air to stop Fisher from doubling City's advantage with an almost perfect chip over the keeper who was quite some distance from his goal. The pressure was maintained with Hakim turning well but shooting over following a pass from Hunt.
Dorchester could not be faulted for determination and should have drawn level on 20 minutes.
Mark Jermyn did well to battle his way into the penalty area and was sent tumbling when Saints keeper Lee Butcher saved at his feet, the ball rolled to Phil Walsh who, with the goal beckoning, fired tamely straight at Ben Martin on the goal-line and the danger was cleared by the knee of the City captain.
Although Dorchester were posing problems going forward, with the physical presence of Walsh and Jacob Erskine making life uncomfortable for Ben Martin and James Quilter in particular, the better chances were being created at the other end of the pitch.
Slick passing involving Shields and Hassan Sulaiman worked the ball across the edge of the penalty area to Simon Martin whose ground shot was cleanly gathered by Stewart.
Just prior to the half hour Ben Martin made his second crucial goal-line clearance, this time from Erskine after Butcher had blocked Walsh's close range effort from Ronayne Marsh-Brown's near post cross.
City had a let off when Fisher inadvertently controlled a bouncing ball with a hand and within seconds Dorchester, furious at not being awarded a free kick, were relieved to see Hakim's clever curling shot go just the wrong side of the post after Simon Martin had picked him out on the edge of the penalty area.
Three minutes from the break, Hakim, clearly enjoying himself and relieved at ending his run of three games without a goal, showed tremendous close skill in weaving his way from the edge of the box to close to goal where his angled drive was smartly taken by the diving Stewart.
And a minute later City again threatened to add a second goal when Hakim and Shields combined to send Simon Martin foraging into the penalty area where Jake Smeeton's excellent tackle terminated the raid.
Sitting an uncomfortably close six points to the relegation zone Dorchester sought to get back on level terms immediately after the restart and with a glancing header from a Gary Bowles free kick Erskine quickly called Butcher into action.
A neat exchange between Hunt, Simon Martin and Hunt again ended with the midfielder slicing his shot high and wide of the York Road goal.
The formidable Ben Martin came to City's rescue once more on the hour when lunging in to clear a dangerous Bowles cross for a corner with Erskine well placed to pounce. Two minutes later the City captain was grateful for the alertness of Butcher to catch a sliced clearance when an own goal was on the cards.
Overall, the second half was a disjointed affair, littered with free kicks and basic errors. There was also an uneasy atmosphere on the pitch with City outraged that Walsh only received a yellow card when laying out both Fisher and Quilter courtesy of a stray elbow.
Quilter was forced out of the game on 69 minutes with blood gushing from a wound just above his right eye. Quilter's departure allowed Ryan Frater to return to First team duty, as the Saints preferred central defensive partnership of him and Ben Martin was resumed after a gap of six games.
Three minutes later Castle made his second change with Simon Martin making way for Gary Cohen and the speedy striker needed just two minutes to make his presence felt.
A Magpies attack broke down with Fisher heading the ball upfield, Hakim, although struggling to get full control, raced towards the visitors goal where he won a corner off Stewart.
Hunt struck the corner in-swinging right-footed and deep towards the back post where Smeeton miscontrolled the ball and could only look on in horror as Cohen pounced to claim his seventh goal of the season.
The corner was to be Hunt's final contribution to the evening as Hector Mackie came on for the final 15 minutes.
It was now evident that Dorchester’s poor run of two wins in 11 games was not about to improve and their day hit another low on 80 minutes when Marsh-Brown was dismissed for a reckless tackle on Shields. As ugly as the challenge was it still seemed harsh to dismiss 23-year-old Londoner.
Both sides went close to ending the game on a high, for City Sulaiman drove the ball across the face of the goal following good work by Hakim and Cohen, while a Nick Crittenden cross saw Walsh send a looping header jut wide of Butcher's left hand post.
That miss completed another good night for on-loan Spurs keeper Butcher who has conceded just one goal during his four matches with the Saints.
Looking on from the sidelines was regular City keeper Paul Bastock who has declared himself fit to resume playing following his recent fractured eye-socket injury. |
