Two sublime goals from leading goalscorer Chris Piper carried St Albans City to a fully deserved third consecutive Ryman League victory on Saturday and lifted John Kendall's born again Saints to a season's high of eighth in the Premier Division. Piper's brace, one a majestic virtuoso effort, was perfectly timed as watching through the torrential downpour which threatened to washout the afternoon's entertainment was his brother Lenny who played an equally significant part in City's fortunes last season.
Piper's goals aside this was City's most encouraging home performance yet this season and the signs are that Kendall, who still has not seen the whole of his squad in action due to injury, has something reasonable to build on and after the trauma of the past ten months the club appears to be heading in the right direction on the pitch.
Hitchin Town came into the game in fourth position but instead of justifying such of a lofty placing the Canaries had little trouble in maintaining their dreadful record against the Saints. City have lost just one of the past 14 league games between the clubs and the prospect of Hitchin adding to their two successes in the previous 21 league meetings at Clarence Park was little more than a pipe dream.
That said, Hitchin started brightly, as did City, with both sides adopting an open attacking policy with positive football played to feet. Hitchin though, had a let off inside two minutes when Piper's low cross from the left curled in on the strong wind and after being left by keeper Darren Bonfield the ball bounced into an upright with Amara Simba wasting the rebound. Andy Melvin's side hit back with Carl Williams having a crisp effort blocked by the impressive Richard Hurst while former City Youth player Adam Parker squandered a free header.
Following that miss City took control and had Junior Samuels shown a better touch when clear in the 10th minute then City would almost certainly have taken the lead. An excellent ball by David Pratt set up Piper for a chance which Bonfield saved spectacularly but the keeper was helpless on 34 minutes as Piper swept City ahead. Taking possession near the halfway line the midfielder advanced unchallenged to the edge of the penalty area where a stunning piece of skill took him between two Town defenders before slipping a perfect low shot under the exposed Bonfield.
Referee Ray Ward, whose whistle happy approach hardly added to the spectators enjoyment, took centre stage just before the break with a decision which was ludicrous even by his standards. Danny Jones went on a positive run before slipping a pass just too far ahead of Simba. Mostly in hope, Simba gave chase and was delighted to see Bonfield, with his back to the striker, dive on the ball and then spill it allowing the Frenchman to walk it into the back of the net. Remarkably Mr Ward ruled that Simba had fouled the embarrassed and laughing keeper.
After the interval the rain really began to lash down but it did little to dampen City's dominance although at times their finishing was as miserable as the weather with the unfortunate Samuels the biggest culprit while Simba too had trouble in locating the target when well placed.
Samuels missed out in a one-on-one with Bonfield after being sent cleat by Pratt and the striker was then frustrated by the woodwork after being set up by Jones. Man of the Match Richard Evans went close with a header and a rising shot while Hitchin's sole worthwhile effort of the half saw Stuart Beevor lob the ball wide after Hurst, for once, failed to make a cross.
City made the points safe six minutes from time when Mark Rooney's down field ball was headed on by Spencer Knight to Piper who almost nonchalantly lifted it over Bonfield from outside the penalty area and looked on as one bounce later his ninth goal of the season was in the Hatfield Road net. |
