Louie Theophanous, St Albans City’s record signing, paid off another slice of his fee with a spectacular late strike on Canvey Island to clinch a 2-1 victory over in-form Concord Rangers on Saturday and give the Saints genuine hope of evading the jaws of relegation that have snapped at them all season.

A fourth National League South victory in five games has lifted the Saints to within three points of the two sides immediately above the drop zone - Bath City and Havant & Waterlooville - with Havant to visit Clarence Park in mid-April.

What looked a hopeless position for the Saints four weeks ago is now looking most favourable. Ian Allinson’s side are still in the bottom three but the momentum is now so much with them that a rise out of the relegation places for the first time since mid-December is felt to be almost inevitable.

Saturday’s game at a chilly Thames Road on a rough surface was far from a classic but for City to come from an early goal behind to see off a side that had not lost since Boxing Day gives an indication of just how far they have progressed since Allinson offered his services to St Albans last month.

City made one change from the side that won at Hayes the previous weekend with Ugo Udoji being recalled to replace the highly impressive Josh Staunton who returned to Charlton Athletic at the end of his loan spell.

Concord also showed one change with Sam Bantick making way for Max Cornhill from the XI that chalked up a notable win at Gosport in midweek.

The match got off to a lively start in the dug-outs with colourful pleasantries exchanged at full volume following a late, but certainly not malicious, challenge by Harry Anderson on Beachboys left-back Tom Stephen.

The game was marred by too many long, and often high, balls but there were occasional flashes of inspired controlled play.

An early example came on six minutes when Stephen’s ball through the middle of the park was delightfully flicked on by the outside Steve Cawley’s boot for Ben Greenhalgh to race clear but fire over Joe Welch’s goal.

A free kick clipped high over the top by Theophanous was all City could muster in the early stages and their sluggish start was punished on 17 minutes when Adam Flanagan’s side opened the scoring.

From a free kick on the Concord right ten yards inside the City half, Greenhalgh floated the ball towards the edge of the six-yard box where Rangers skipper Steve King drifted away from Udoji and glanced a header past Welch who had stayed rooted to his line.

For a while City appeared rattled but the Beachboys were unable to take full advantage with their best efforts seeing Greenhalgh shooting straight through to Welch and King heading wide from a James Hammond cross.

City were hardly threatening to score a glut of goals themselves but on 39 minutes parity was restored.

A spell of pressure on the home goal ended with Michael Thalassitis’ low cross to Charlie MacDonald being turned out for a corner.

Lee Chappell, reacquainted with the captain’s armband in the absence of the suspended Sam Corcoran, swung the set-piece left-footed to Ben Martin in the centre of the goal on the six-yard line and the towering defender headed past home keeper Ben McNamara virtually unchallenged.

City almost forged ahead four minutes later when Tom Bender, continuing his return to good form, crossed from the left for Theophanous to cushion a pass off his chest to MacDonald.

With quick thinking MacDonald swivelled and shot first time but his effort from ten yards lacked the necessary force to beat the diving McNamara.

The second half continued in much the same fashion but City did shade the balance of play and defended superbly with Concord recording just a single on-target shot after the break and only won one corner during the entire 90 minutes.

At the opposite end of the pitch Theophanous led the home defence a merry dance and was unfortunate not to have found his name on the scoresheet long before his belated winning strike.

The former Staines Town and Farnborough striker went close twice in the 50th minute.

His first attempt saw a half volley flash just wide of the target after Martin had challenged for a high ball into the penalty area by Chappell.

Moments later Martin ended a Concord attack and Theophanous himself helped the ball onto MacDonald before receiving a return pass and drilling a fine right-footed shot just over McNamara’s goal from 24 yards.

Concord’s best chance of the half came just after the hour when Cawley, who had scored in seven of the Beachboys previous eight games, sent an excellent cross over the City defence that Martin left for Welch to collect, but as the keeper hesitated Collins dived in but could only get a feint toe to the ball and a relieved Welch saved in some comfort.

Ten minutes later a brief spell of pressure by the home side led to Greenhalgh firing a yard wide while a fine volley by Cornhill dipped not far from Welch’s goal.

On 79 minutes MacDonald looked to have missed a good opportunity to steer City closer to victory when he miscued a tame effort through to McNamara after Thalassitis had glanced on a free kick by Udoji.

Four minutes later and victory did look to have eluded the Saints when Martin helped – off his back - on a long throw by Chappell and Eddie Oshodi drove the ball home from seven yards only for the ‘goal’ to be rubbed out due to Theophanous raising a foot when contesting the bouncing ball with King right in front of the goal.

But on 89 minutes Theophanous redeemed himself quite superbly with his 17th goal of the season that secured a third straight win for the Saints and only their second victory on the island in nine attempts.

Welch drove a free kick from six yards outside of his own penalty area to the edge of the home 18-yard line where Beachboys central defender John Easterford outjumped MacDonald but could only get the ball as far as Theophanous.

With time ticking away the City striker ran across the face of the penalty area, wide of Easterford and Stephen, before sending a perfectly struck right-footed shot from 20 yards just between McNamara’s fully extended arms and his left hand upright Concord made a determined effort to salvage their 12-match unbeaten run but McNamara’s bid to aid his outfield mates backfired when he blocked a cleanly struck shot by colleague Cawley.

St Albans head into the Easter weekend looking to bridge the three-point gap between themselves and Bath and Havant but even a victory over Eastbourne Borough at Clarence Park on Easter Saturday (26th March) may not be sufficient to lift them out of the relation places if both Bath and Havant avoid defeat in their Good Friday matches.

City’s game against Eastbourne has a 3pm kick off but the local derby game at Hemel Hempstead Town on Easter Monday kicks off at 1pm.

City skipper Sam Corcoran rejoins the squad on Saturday after serving a two-match ban.

Concord Rangers: B.McNamara, J.Hammond, T.Stephen, J.Dowie, S.King, J.Easterford, L.Taaffe, M.Cornhill, B.Greenhalgh, S.Cawley, S.Collins (S.Bantick 77), unused subs; J.Lampe, A.Topley, E.Dsane, A.Young.

Booked: Taaffe.

St Albans City: J.Welch, E.Oshodi, T.Bender, Sc.Thomas, E.Udoji, B.Martin, H.Anderson (B.Gibson 77), M.Thalassitis, L.Theophanous, C.MacDonald, L.Chappell, unused subs: D.Locke, A.Iweduino, K.Krans, L.Allinson.

Goals: 17 1-0 King, 39 1-1 Martin, 89 1-2 Theophanous.

Referee: Ian Cooper (Rochester).

Att: 289.