St Albans City overcame the third minute dismissal of midfielder Richard Graham that was as ludicrous as it was controversial to secure a glorious goalless draw with Conference South side Tonbridge Angels at the Longmead Stadium on Saturday.
Graham, sent off for the first time in his career at the age of 33, was the victim of a truly horrendous error by the fourth official Gareth Mays.
The Epsom official called referee Ashvin Degnarin across to explain that he had seen Graham elbow lively Tonbridge winger Henry Muggeridge in the face. The referee was faced with no other choice than to dismiss the City player.
Disbelieving of what was happening, Graham took an age to leave the pitch but was quick to plead his innocence after leaving the dressing room.
Photographic evidence suggests that the softly spoken Irishman did not raise either elbow and was totally innocent.
For City to survive the remaining 87 minutes with just ten players against higher level opposition was a truly commendable feat, but it will only be after Monday’s replay at Clarence Park that City will know whether their heroics in Kent paved the way to ultimate victory or purely in vain.
Tonbridge, fresh from winning away to Conference South leaders Eastleigh, tried to break down the ten-man Saints with patient passing football but, until late in the day, could make few serious inroads into a City defence superbly led by Ben Martin in his first 90-minute outing in 15 matches.
Martin partnered Tom Ward for the first time and the towering duo built a formidable wall at the heart of the City backline.
Singling out others for praise from an outstanding team effort is harsh on some but James Comley and David Keenleyside, in particular, did catch the eye whilst veteran goalkeeper Paul Bastock pulled off three superb saves.
In spite of Tonbridge calling the tune early on following Graham’s premature departure it was St Albans, through Keenleyside, who had the first effort on goal with home keeper Lewis Carey saving.
With a well-worked free kick routine the Angels cut City open but Bastock was alert to smother the ball as Shamir Goodwin closed in.
A miscue by Phillip Appiah allowed Comley a sight of goal and his spinning shot from 23 yards caused Carey some discomfort before gathering at the second attempt.
After a couple of half chances came to nothing Tonbridge found a path down the right flank when Lee Browning soared past Martin and slipped a good ball inside to Goodwin.
The on loan Brighton striker’s angled shot went through the legs of Danny Green but Bastock was down quickly to palm the ball wide and was then swiftly up to deny Sonny Miles from the rebound at the cost of a corner.
Carey was next to pull off a good save when diving to his right to keep out an effort from Mark Nwokeji after Keenleyside’s excellent pass had caught the home defence square.
City, looking to extend their unbeaten away cup run to an 11th match, almost snatched the lead just prior to the interval when a Comley free kick was headed on by Martin to Nwokeji whose close range shot thudded into Carey’s midriff, with former Saint Chris Piper completing the clearance.
Attacking the south end of the ground after the break, Tonbridge found a way through when a rare mistake by Ward allowed substitute Luke Blewden to set up Goodwin for a shot that Bastock stretched well to save low to his left, Chappell put the loose ball out for a throw.
Chances came less frequently for City as the game went on and John Frendo stretching to poke a shot through to Carey was the sum total of the Saints on-target second half efforts.
Tonbridge pressed with greater thrust in the latter stages as City’s ten men were forced to defend in depth.
A long throw by Blewden led to scramble in front of the City goal. The ball broke to Jon Heath whose low drive was cleared close to the goalline by Chappell, while Browning’s follow up effort was blocked by Green.
City launched a speedy counter-attack and another excellent ball by Keenleyside looked to have freed Frendo only for Piper to make a perfectly timed intervention.
Tonbridge’s clearest opening of the afternoon saw Goodwin burst clear but instead of celebrating his fifth goal in six games the teenager could only watch as his shot sailed wide of Bastock’s goal and over the stand roof behind the goal.
The Angels maintained the pressure with Browning launching a free kick deep into the City penalty area.
Comley, surprisingly, met the ball as Bastock looked to punch clear and only succeeded in heading across the face of his own goal.
The ball was met by Heath whose header was bound for the centre of the goal only for the retreating Comley to head clear.
As the ball headed towards the touchline it was crossed back into danger area but Angels skipper Gary Elphick saw his header caught with ease by his former St Albans team-mate Bastock.
With time now against them Tonbridge continued to search for a late winner and it looked as though it had arrived when Carey launched a free kick from just inside the Angels half.
Miles met Carey’s raking kick and sent a looping header across the goal. As the almost 500-strong crowd waited for the net to ripple Bastock made light of his 43-years in leaping high to his right to palm the ball out for a corner.
And with that save the tie was taken back to Clarence Park. Kick off on Monday, 2nd December, is at 7.45pm.
At the time of going to press St Albans were hopeful of obtaining footage of the game that would prove Graham’s innocence.
If such footage does come to light and is handed to the FA by 5pm on Monday, it will then be up to referee Degnarin to accept that sending Graham off was an incorrect decision and the red card would be rescinded. |
