Howard Newton’s added time equaliser salvaged a point for St Albans City at a chilly Hitchin Road on Saturday but how City may come to rue the string of good chances they squandered when being held 1-1 in a rugged Southern League encounter.
City dominated for long stretches and with a shots on-target count of 11 to one in their favour should have collected three desperately needed points as the draw sees David Howell’s side slip to seven points adrift of the play-off group.
Arlesey needed the points for completely differing reasons as Zema Abbey’s sit inside the bottom four of the Premier Division and are facing a swift return to the Central Division they left last May.
As rain fell from the greyest of skies City started well on a surface that was slippery due to being firm under the greasy top and chances were soon being created as the Saints pushed for an early goal.
Inside the opening minute Newton did well to beat Bussey to a Ryan Watts cross but was unable to direct his header on target.
Chris Seeby forced Bussey to save to his right with a fine effort from 30 yards while the keeper also used his legs well to block a shot from David Ijaha and then collected Watts’s softly struck free kick.
Having been very much on the back foot Arlesey, with just two wins in their previous 11 matches, went ahead on 18 minutes when Chris Marsh was afforded far too much space to collect a Jordan Browne throw deep inside the City half.
With ample time Marsh slid the ball inside the six yard and when Chris Seeby misjudged his intervention the debut making Drew Broughton was able to open the scoring.
Life almost got worse for City five minutes later when Jupp, well outside his penalty area, made a slide tackle on Broughton but only succeeded in giving the ball to Lee Allinson’s whose excellent first time opportunist effort from close on 40 yards dropped just a yard wide of the vacant City goal.
And another chance went begging for Town when Broughton was unable to direct his header from Chris Dillon towards the visitor’s goal.
Having begun the game full of adventure City appeared to lack inspiration as the half wore on although Newton had two chances late in the half to restore parity.
From the first, following a cross by Narada Bernard, Newton stretched to send the ball straight through to the keeper and then sent the second high and wide.
City also looked to have reasonable calls for penalty rejected when former Saints captain Ryan Frater, who snuffed Sakho Bakare out of the game completely, pulled back Simon Martin as the striker tried to beat Bussey to James Gray’s long ball.
St Albans came out with renewed attacking intent after the interval and within three minutes Bussey had again used his legs to good effect as he blocked Newton’s volley following Martin’s deep cross from the City left.
An injury to left-back Bernard forced Howell into making his first change on 57 minutes. Substitute Chris Henry went into the midfield with Watts dropping to left back.
A further enforced alternation came 12 minutes later when an ankle injury put paid to David Ijaha’s afternoon. Danny McGonigle was granted a rare run out and the former Harrow Borough player showed several nice touches.
Henry soon tested Bussey with a shot low towards the near post that was gathered cleanly.
Jupp, on the other hand, had an anxious few moments when he was beaten to a through ball by Town midfielder Stefan Bailey who, from virtually on the goalline, drilled the ball across the face of the City goal but too far ahead of any incoming team-mates.
Around the hour City lost two more chances to pull level when Bakare’s low driven cross from the right just eluded Martin and then when sent clear by Martin’s flick the Frenchman saw his low shot deflected wide off the legs of the sprawling Bussey.
As the game headed towards the closing stages Arlesey, whilst not suggesting they could increase their lead, held City at arms length in increasing comfort.
Arlesey, though, did get the ball into the City net when Broughton tucked away Frater’s nod down from a Dillon free kick only to be called offside.
Bussey stretched to save a McGonigle effort under the crossbar and there was a hint of desperation when the hardworking Martin was replaced by Aaron Lansiquot on 83 minutes. But Lansiquot has a habit of unsettling defences and suddenly City came alive again.
Even so, one did wonder if two not particularly needed late Arlesey substitutions helped to unbalance the home side and aid City’s cause.
Henry sent Newton clear but again Bussey saved with his legs and when Lansiquot looked set to stab in the loose ball Dan Hutchins made a superb block by the foot of the post.
The Town keeper was final beaten in the first of five minutes of added time when Henry sent Lansiquot away down the City right and from his low cross the unmarked Newton bundled home his first goal for the club. |
