A clinical late goal by Junior Morias spared St Albans City’s blushes at Creasey Park on Thursday and clinched not only a 4-3 win for the Saints over Dunstable Town but also a third success in six days for Ian Allinson’s side.

A brace of calm finishes by Matt Ball and a perfectly flighted free kick by Matt Whichelow appeared to have set City up for a comfortable finish at 3-1, but the Saints Southern League hosts fought back to restore parity only for Morias to steal the show.

Dunstable fielded two ex-Saints in the starting XI in defender John Sonuga and David Longe-King who played in midfield rather than the central defensive position occupied during his eight appearances for the Saints.

A third former Saint was given a run out after the interval in the form of the popular David Keenleyside.

City fielded a strong starting XI and the six changes made during the second half on the excellent playing surface hardly weakened the side.

The game was even and keenly fought throughout and while City will be delighted to have added another four goals to the five scored at Arlesey two days earlier, the five goals conceded during the two games will have given the manager some points to ponder.

From early on it was evident that City were in for a testing evening with ‘keeper James Russell having to dive full length to keep out a Shane Bush header.

But it was St Albans who opened the scoring on 16 minutes when Ball received possession on the edge of the penalty area and taking his time before shooting left-footed to the left of Blues goalkeeper Jack Smith.

Russell was tested by a fierce drive from an acute angle by Alex Cathline before the home side drew level on 33 minutes.

Lee Chappell, playing in an unfamiliar position on the right of the City midfield, conceded a free kick with a rash challenge on Jack Hutchinson.

After dusting himself down Hutchinson floated the ball in from the left touchline to deep inside the penalty area. The bounce eluded Cathline and Russell but the alert Bush darted in at the back post to loop a header over Russell and inside the far post.

St Albans regained the lead with a second goal on 59 minutes that concluded one of the best passing moves of the game.

As City moved towards the home penalty area Louie Theophanous and Stephane Ngamvoulou (referred to as Ngala in earlier reports) worked the ball across the box to Ball. Again the former Wealdstone played steadied himself before cracking the ball low to the diving Smith’s right.

Any thoughts Ball may have harboured about claiming a hat-trick were quickly dashed as he was one of five City players substituted before the game recommenced.

St Albans were now enjoying their best spell of the game and Morias was unfortunate not to score when his crisply struck low drive hit the legs of Smith and ricocheted high into the air before landing on the roof of the net.

But the home side were undone for a third time in the 70th minute.

Rhys Hoenes, who demonstrated his scintillating speed on several occasions, embarked on a thrilling run before being halted, unfairly, on the edge of the penalty area.

Referee Andy Aylott let the play continue but when Whichelow was upended inside the penalty area the play, quite bizarrely, was brought back for the initial foul.

Whichelow brushed the disappointment of not gaining a penalty by clipping a delightfully placed free kick to Smith’s left that the Town keeper could only parry into the net Still Dunstable refused to accept defeat and three minutes later Tony Fontanelle’s side pulled a goal back with Cash stabbing home at the near post following a low cross from the Town left.

Former Royston Town winger Hoenes, picking up a good ball along the ground from Ian Rees, weaved a path through the home defence five minutes later but this time Smith kept out Whichelow’s well struck drive.

Five minutes from time and Dunstable looked to have staved off defeat when Wilson Ferrera slammed the ball home from the penalty spot after a bout of shirt-pulling by Rees.

Neither side appeared content with a share of spoils but Smith seemed to have saved his side when leaping to his left to instinctively beat away a cushioned volley by Tom Bender.

Three minutes from time St Albans did finally see off the Blues when Morias, receiving a throw-in from the left, turned onto his right and, from around 15 yards, fired low to Smith’s right for his second goal in three days.

The three straight wins puts St Albans in good heart for the start of the season proper next Tuesday when they travel to Wodson Park to face Ware in the 1st Round (quarter final) of the Herts Charity Cup.

City are unbeaten in all of the 21 most recent meetings with Ware and have won 15 of the past 16 encounters.

Kick-off is at 7.45pm.

Prior to then Ian Allinson is expected to have released several players, as he cuts the squad down to the number he believes is ideal to take into the new season.

Dunstable Town (starting XI): J.Smith, L.Strafford, L.Fernandes, A.Grant, J.Sonuga, A.Pepera, G.Wharton, D.Longe-King, A.Cathline, S.Bush, J.Hutchinson.

St Albans City: J.Russell, L.Chappell (D.Green 59), T.Bender, Sc.Thomas (A.Anderson 80), S.Hill, A.Iwediuno, S.Lucien (R.Hoenes 59), S.Ngamvoulou (B.Gibson 59), L.Theophanous (M.Whichelow 59), J.Morias, M.Ball (I.Rees 59).

Referee: Andy Aylott.