Nerves jangled at Clarence Park on Tuesday before St Albans City , on the back of two goals from the outstanding Lewis Toomey and one from veteran strike partner Barry Hayles, saw off a spirited second half showing by Cambridge City to clinch a gripping 3-2 Southern League Premier Division victory.
St Albans improved immeasurably from their tame showing in the heat at Banbury on Saturday and on the evidence of this performance do look to have the drive, power and skill to mount a sustained promotion push.
Cambridge went into the match as title favourites with at least one bookmaker but fell well below what was required of them during the opening 45 minutes and the Saints went in at the break having faced few anxious moments in building a two-goal lead.
David Howell’s side began the second half positively but Cambridge at last showed their quality and twice reduced the margin but could not ultimately deny the Saints.
At the start of the match St Albans soon settled into a passing game and used the flanks well to get at the visitors backline, while Cambridge, after starting promisingly, became over-reliant on playing a long ball game that the excellent home defence gobbled up in comfort.
On a surface made slippery by a heavy downpour 45 minutes before the kick-off both sides created half chances before Hayles, on his home debut, sent a shot through to the Whites keeper Enol Ordonez following a cross by Chris Seeby.
The opening goal was not long in coming with St Albans forging ahead on 13 minutes.
The effervescent Toomey received a pass down the Saints left, his first effort was blocked but his second took a kind deflection off Lee Chaffey into the path of Hayles for the 40-year-old Jamaican international to fire into the roof of the net from ten yards.
City now attacked with greater conviction and a curling effort by Shields was headed out for a corner by Chaffey.
Richard Graham played the resulting corner short to Hayles and clipped the return pass into the penalty area where James Gray came within a whisker of increasing the lead with a fine header.
A spell of St Albans pressure looked to be fading when Graham’s cross bounced out of the far side of the penalty area before Shields regained possession from Pat Bexfield and crossed for Hayles to stretch and shoot over.
Just a minute from the interval and a flowing St Albans move of 11 passes was interrupted by Whites defender Bexfield heading away Micah Hyde’s intended pass to Shields.
But again Shields immediately won the ball back and played it inside to Toomey who spun inside Jake Dekanski and beat Ordonez with a wonderful left-footed shot into the Hatfield Road goal from 25 yards.
Whatever words the former St Albans striker and manager Gary Roberts said to his Cambridge players at half time worked a treat and at last the Whites began to move forward with menace, but still the home defence remained resilient in open play.
Cambridge found a way back into contention via a set piece on 54 minutes when the Saints felt that they should have been awarded a free kick for a foul by Bryant on Graham rather than punished with conceding a corner.
From the corner, taken by impressive Cambridge substitute James Brighton, defender Chaffey rose to head high into the home goal.
Twelve minutes later and the Cambridge fightback looked to be faltering following a spell of heavy St Albans pressure.
Graham’s corner was headed partially clear only for Curtis Ujah to knock it on to Shields who darted down the side of the penalty area and whipped over a cross that appeared to strike the arm of Bexfield.
Linesman Will Pare immediately signalled for handball but St Albans continued the attack with Toomey scooping the ball into the net after Ujah’s shot had been blocked.
Referee Jason Richardson disallowed the goal and pointed to the spot but Cambridge’s relief was short-lived as Toomey, seeing Ordonez move early, shot low to the keeper’s right for his fourth goal in only his third game for the Saints.
Again Cambridge came back strongly and City keeper Nick Jupp had to be alert to palm over an opportunist effort from Bryant.
Jupp performed near heroics to keep his goal safe on 73 minutes when he dived to save from Christian Lester then got up to thwart Luke Allen with his legs before finally admitting defeat when Lester chipped a clever ball to the back post for Bryant’s persistent endeavours to be rewarded with a headed goal.
Cambridge pushed forward desperately to salvage a point but an athletic tip over by Jupp and a perfect sliding tackle by the excellent Danny Gordon – in at left-back for the injured Ryan Watts – on Brighton clinched what may prove to be crucial victory for the Saints.
City’s win lifts them into fourth place in the Southern League and for Saturday’s visit by Frome Town Ryan Watts expects to be fit while defender Chris Seeby is in line to become the 33rd player to complete 200 appearances for the club. |