A second half equaliser by impressive substitute Kieran Bishop secured a 1-1 draw for St Albans City from their latest pre-season friendly match on Tuesday evening at the Langford Road home of Southern League Premier Division side Biggleswade Town.

Bishop provided one of the few bright points in another unconvincing City performance in their lengthy run up to the new National League South season on 8th August.

In addition to scoring a neatly executed equaliser, Bishop showed some fancy footwork out on the right wing and but for a superb save by the Waders goalkeeper Ian Brown the former Biggleswade Under-19 striker would have sneaked a victory for the Saints.

City again appeared lethargic and former Saints striker Inih Effiong, who seems get ever larger every time they come up against him, proved to be more of a handful than should have been expected against such an experienced City back line.

Effiong fired Biggleswade into a first half lead and, most disconcertingly for the visitors, breezed past Ben Martin and James Comley on more than one occasion.

City’s most positive spell came immediately after the second half getting away with their passing being more assured and their attitude more business-like. It was, however, not maintained throughout the half.

Barely ten minutes had passed when Effiong outpaced Comley and crossed for Sam Merson – playing against City for the second time this summer – scuffed a shot wide.

Within the next five minutes Joe Welch twice darted outside his penalty area to clear as Effiong closed in.

Welch was the busier of the two ‘keeper’s during the opening half and had made a couple of reasonable saves when City, on 26 minutes, were awarded a penalty following a mistimed challenge by Charlie Hunter on Lee Chappell.

But City’s first spot kick in the post John Frendo era turned into something of an embarrassment for Michael Malcolm whose tame right-footed effort was easily smothered by Brown when falling to his right.

Malcolm sought to atone for this blip a few minutes later with an effort from the edge of the penalty area but again Brown saved with minimal fuss.

Biggleswade took the lead on 31 minutes with a fine goal.

Former Cambridge City player Josh Beech threaded an excellent ball through the heart of the City defence for Effiong to race clear of Martin, and hold off Comley, before sliding a right-footed shot to the right of Welch from around 15 yards out.

A swift counter-attack should have led to a second goal for the Waders but Craig Daniel’s cross from the right went too far in front of the lurking Effiong.

Neither side made any changes during the interval but City certainly displayed a more determined attitude.

Even so, they almost fell further behind when Town central defender Gavin Hoyte got an attack of the Beckham’s and went for goal with a free kick from inside his own half on 47 minutes.

A watchful Welch only just managed to scoop the falling ball out for a corner at the last second as it threatened to drop under the crossbar.

Hoyte went close again with a header narrowly wide from a Shane Hill corner while Lewis Hilliard was not far off the target for the Saints.

City’s service to Hilliard had been poor during the opening half and the former St Neots player was far more influential after the break when he had a better supply line.

St Albans made three changes on 54 minutes with right-back Howard Hall, midfielder Danny Green and striker Malcolm making way for John Kyriacou, Kayode Bola and Bishop.

Just after the hour a cross by Hilliard was brought down by Simon Thomas whose second attempt was somehow saved by Brown low down.

Former City player David Hutton sent fellow Town substitute Michael King through only for Welch to pull off a fine stop.

While Welch caught the eye in goal for St Albans for the first 70 minutes or so, it was Town custodian Brown who took the honours in the latter stages.

Welch only made one error all night when he allowed a Hill corner to slip through his hands but, fortunately for the City keeper, Biggleswade were unable to capitalise.

Midway through the half City restored parity when Hilliard slipped a ball through the centre of the home defence, and when Hoyte misjudged his challenge Bishop was afford a run on goal and dutifully slotted his shot wide of Brown.

Welch denied King and then Hill as Biggleswade went in search of a second goal, while Tony Burnett glanced a header wide.

Jay Davies looked to have scored an outstanding goal when coming in from the Town right and unleashing a wonderful angled drive only for Welch to spring full length to his right to spectacularly push the ball away for a corner.

With just 11 minutes remaining Comley unpicked the home defence with an excellent low pass to Jack Green but Brown got down swiftly to save.

City had a scare on 82 minutes when a linesman signalled for a penalty when Davies went down following an alleged trip by Martin. The referee was less convinced and booked the Biggleswade player for diving.

With an identical pass to the one that teed up Green, Comley created an opening for Bishop who neatly slipped the ball from one foot to the other only to see his rising shot pushed over the top by the outstanding Brown.

Two minutes from time City thought they had scored a winner when a Chappell free kick was headed downwards by Martin. As the ball bounced upwards Brown, quite remarkably, clawed the ball out and claims by the visitors that it had already crossed the goalline were brushed aside.

St Albans hectic summer schedule continues on Thursday evening with the short trip to Southern League Premier Division side Hitchin Town. Kick off at Top Field, Fishponds Road, is at 7.45pm.

Biggleswade Town: I.Brown, C.Hunter, M.Coulson, S.Hill, G.Hoyte (L.Allinson 75) R.Frater (K.McNulty 62), C.Daniel (M.King 62), R.Blackman (J.Davies 62), I.Effiong (T.Burnett 62), S.Merson (D.Hutton 62), J.Beech.

St Albans City: J.Welch, H.Hall (J.Kyriacou 54), L.Chappell, S.Corcoran, B.Martin, J.Comley, J.Green, D.Green (K.Bola 54), M.Malcolm (K.Bishop 54), S.Thomas, L.Hilliard.

Goals: 31 1-0 Effiong. 67 1-1 Bishop.