Ian Allinson believes St Albans City dropped two points, despite the Saints battling back from a goal down three times in a 3-3 draw with Chippenham Town.

City trailed as early as the sixth minute as Alex Ferguson netted for the hosts, before Zane Banton levelled soon after.

William Richards made it 2-1 to Town at the break and City were level soon after the hour through Tom Bender.

Ferguson restored the Chippenham advantage almost immediately and Rhys Murrell-Williamson had the final say on proceedings with a third City leveller.

While a point which ended a run of three National League South losses on the spin was a welcome one, Allinson was left feeling City could have taken more from the match.

“I think we have to say it is two more points that have slipped away. We have not defended correctly in terms of the way we started the game,” the St Albans manager said.

“We have to competed on set pieces, not so much the first ball, but the second one.

“Their strength is on long throws and corners. Before we knew where we were, we were 1-0 down from a long throw which has been flicked on and nobody has gone with the runner.

“They have score the second one from a free-header as well and we were just a bit weak.”

The draw sees City pick up their first point since a goalless draw with Hungerford on October 21.

They remain in the play-off places and currently sit seventh in the table, some five points shy of league leaders Braintree Town.

Allinson has had to contend with a number of injuries this season and admits a small squad has hamstrung City’s efforts this term.

He does, however, hop to have back in the squad for a clash with Bognor Regis on Saturday.

“We will need to have a look at Shaun and he has a really bad dead leg, which he is struggling with. He can’t fully extend it in terms of movement,” Allinson said.

“We have to take injuries on the chin. We went with a smaller squad this year hoping we wouldn’t have any injuries and we have been decimated.

“The squad has been brilliant and I am not going to moan about injuries.”

Allinson maintains his side have been better value than their recent run of form would suggest.

He does, though, admit that City must develop a mean streak if they are to make a timely return to winning ways soon.

“It was nice to stop the rot, but I don’t actually think it was a rot because I don’t actually think we have played poorly,” he explained.

“There was one bad half hour in the loss against Braintree and we have been OK in the rest of the games.

“We have just got to learn to win games ugly.”

Victory over Bognor Regis could see City climb to second in the table, dependant on results elsewhere.