The football may have lacked the sparkle of recent weeks but the goals and the points continue to mount for John Kendall's almost all-conquering St Albans City side as they brushed aside the challenge of Ryman League Premier Division new boys Maidenhead United on Saturday to chalk up an incredible 12th win from 13 outings.
The Saints latest success equals a run achieved on two previous occasions by the club and should Kendall's side manage to pull off victory from this coming weekend's hugely important fixture at Canvey Island then the run of victories will be the Saints highest since the club record of 20 straight wins was set during the 1909-10 season.
Saturday's victory over Maidenhead owed much to the team spirit the players have built since Kendall's arrival as the Saints had to overcome battling opposition who, should they persevere with the aptitude displayed at Clarence Park, will surely succeed in avoiding a swift return to Division One.
Attacking the York Road goal for the opening period City made the ideal start with a text book goal after just six minutes. Spencer Knight., whose fan club seems to grow wherever the Saints play, curled in a left-footed free-kick from the City right and with a perfectly timed run defender Ryan Moran glided through a congested penalty area to power a header from eight yards into the roof of Richard Barnard's goal.
With the Saints having scored 22 times in their previous five games and Maidenhead having won just one of their previous seven Premier Division games, another goal feast for the Saints was on the cards but instead Alan Devonshire's Magpies fought back strongly and City keeper Lee Clark, on his Ryman League debut, quickly became the busiest player on the park.
Some dogged City defending denied Maidenhead clear chances but a series of crosses and long throw-in's kept Clark on his toes. After a couple of goalmouth scrambles the City keeper did well to clutch a Steve Croxford header but on 22 minutes the Magpies deservedly drew level as a spell of sustained pressure ended with Lee Channell scoring from close in following a pass from Steve Brown.
City quickly shrugged off that blow and two minutes later regained the initiative with a well constructed goal. Lee Harvey won the ball on the edge of the penalty area and helped it on to Robbie Simpson who headed for the goalline before cutting towards goal and drilling the ball low to the back post where Gary Ansell had the simple task of poking home his fourth goal in three games.
Again Maidenhead came back impressively but their hopes dipped in the 37th minute when Clark, not the tallest of goalkeepers, sprung high to his right to push away Matt Glynn's perfectly struck and placed free-kick before running wide of his goal to complete the save.
City ended the half with a positive flourish, firstly Barnard pulled off a fine finger tip save to keep out a crisp drive from Mark Rooney - referee Steve Rubery curiously awarded a goalkick - and seconds later Barnard stretched well to thwart Simpson when he was clean through and the keeper then excelled to dive to right to block Ansell's crisply struck angled follow up.
The points were effectively settled just 90 seconds after the restart with a scrappy third City goal. A Saints attack looked to have broken down before the ball was collected by Knight some 22 yards out and after deciding that no one was better placed the former Arlesey man tried his luck and then, following a generous deflection off Tim Cook which completely wrong footed the diving Barnard, wheeled away to celebrate his fourth goal in five games.
Six minutes later Knight saw a spectacular volley of his dip viciously as it whistled narrowly past the goal but thereafter the game fell away badly with both sides guilty of conceding possession far too easily. That said, Clark continued to perform creditably as the Magpies battled away but City could have added a fourth during the closing stages when Chris Piper broke through but failed to beat Barnard.
Report by Dave Tavener |
