Merson doubles up again as City grab dramatic late win

A week after netting twice in the FA Cup Merson, 21, repeated the trick as he started a league match for the first time and St Albans ended a run of three league games without a win.

Former Biggleswade Town and Redditch United striker Merson has already built a reputation as someone capable of leaping high from a standing position but the way he rose to head in the opening goal of the afternoon was something special.

Gosport struggled all afternoon to contain young Sam who won countless headers and, in addition to his two goals, created chances for others that could have given the Saints a more comprehensive victory.

However, had St Albans won more emphatically it would have been harsh on a Boro side that has struggled on its travels this season but, after a difficult start, played its part to the full in an open and entertaining encounter.

City were without the suspended duo of Tom Bender and Junior Morias while a groin injury also ruled out David Noble. Darren Locke was back with Barton Rovers, for whom he has signed on a dual registration.

Ben Martin was added to the sick list following a freak incident during the pre-match warm up.

The central defender was tying his laces when he was accidentally run into a Gosport player who was chasing a ball.

The collision left Martin clutching a knee that has undergone several operations down the years and his afternoon was brought to a premature close.

Martin’s misfortune worked in Andrew Iwediuno’s favour with the former Biggleswade defender coming in for his National League South debut.

Also back in the City side was Ben Herd, at left-back, following illness.

Playing up the Clarence Park slope into a strong wind St Albans started positively against a Gosport side that had won on two of its previous three visits to the Park.

Merson took just seven minutes to hint at what was to follow with a clever scissor kick that flashed across Martin Rice’s goal after Josh Hill had driven a Herd cross into the Gosport penalty area.

Allinson described the Saints first 25 minutes as their best of the season and the better chances continued to come City’s way although Gosport went close when Warren Bentley sent an enticing ball across the face of the home goal that just eluded the incoming Josh Carmichael.

City responded with a controlled volley from 20 yards by Louie Theophanous that Rice parried around the post.

Rice, wearing a garish top that should carry a bad-taste warning, looked on watchfully as a Shaun Lucien free kick dipped just over the crossbar.

City’s persistence was rewarded on 23 minutes after Theophanous won a corner in front of the York Road terrace.

Matt Ball played the set-piece short to Herd before taking a return pass and whipping an excellent cross to the edge of the six-yard box where Merson made an astonishing leap behind Ben Harding to head high to Rice’s left and into the goal via the underside of the crossbar.

With an intuitive half volley, after Merson had won a header, Theophanous went close to increasing City’s lead but on 28 minutes Alex Pike’s south coast side was back on level terms.

City ‘keeper James Russell, purely instinctively, was down on his haunches but stretched his left arm up to push a Bentley header over the crossbar after Gosport’s leading marksman this season had intelligently headed a Dan Wooden cross into the ground.

The reprieve was short in the extreme though as Tom Bird’s corner from the Boro right was smartly headed across Russell’s goal and inside the back post by Brett Poate who was in exceptionally good form.

St Albans have made a habit of being threatening straight from the kick off after goals have been scored this season and this match was no different, as within 14 seconds of the restart Chappell had sent a suspiciously offside looking Theophanous behind enemy lines.

Rice stood his ground at the near post to beat away two quick fire shots with two excellent saves to keep out the free-scoring City striker.

With a goal under their belts Gosport attacked with greater intent during the latter part of the half.

Carmichael headed into the side-netting from an Aaron Dawson free kick while George Casey cleared from the goalline after Dawson shot low into the goalmouth from 18 yards after receiving a short corner kick from Bird.

But it was from a cross by Bird on the Boro left that they went closest to scoring with Carmichael’s looping header striking the City crossbar.

Playing down the slope after the interval St Albans pressed for an early goal but a good opening went begging when Chappell cut the ball back from the goalline only for Lucien, unable to match his hat-trick form of the previous weekend, to fire over the visitor’s goal.

As the autumn breeze grew increasingly chilly St Albans warmed the locals with a series of raids on the Gosport goal.

Rice, who was in splendid form throughout, made a spectacular save when diving to his right to keep out Ball’s cleanly struck free kick, while the Boro custodian was relieved to see a wonderful volley by Merson zip across the face of his goal and out for a goal-kick following Iwediuno’s long ball to the edge of the penalty area.

The pressure continued with Theophanous trying to find Merson with an audacious back-heel that Gosport skipper Joe Oastler whacked to safety.

But the longer the half went on the more Gosport began to offer a threat of their own.

City had a let-off when a Bird free kick was headed across the goal by Wooden but missed in front of the sticks by Bentley as Iwediuno applied pressure.

Victory, though, looked to be heading St Albans way when referee Robert Massey-Ellis, who otherwise had an excellent game, awarded the Saints a ludicrous penalty when substitute Rhys Hoenes, put through by Merson, fell to the ground dramatically after the gentlest of touches by Terry Cuthbertson.

Rice dived to his right to superbly keep out Theophanous’s low three-pace step-up spot kick, which, maybe, was a case of justice being served.

Moments later one of a succession of long throws by Chappell caused problems in the Gosport goalmouth but quickly attention switched to the opposite end of the pitch.

Russell punched away a Bird free kick in comfort but the former Boreham Wood ‘keeper then made a stunning fingertip save, whilst down on his knees, to deny Boro substitute Ollie Bailey.

The game became increasingly frantic but City looked to have found a way through when Merson controlled Chappell’s excellent diagonal ball in from the right only to have his shot blocked by Cuthbertson’s immaculately timed lunge.

Back came Gosport again with Iwediuno fortunate not to concede a penalty when holding Wooden after cheaply losing possession to Boro striker.

Gosport were now playing with confidence and Wooden went close with a shot from 25 yards that clipped the excellent Hill and looped just over the home goal.

But as the game moved into a second minute of added time it was St Albans, through the irrepressible Merson, who secured the three points.

Scott Thomas, who gave another influential performance in midfield, broke up a Boro attack and sent substitute Dipo Akinyemi away on a thrilling run from midway inside the City half that ended, after skipping past three unconvincing tackles, midway inside the Gosport half with the ball rolling to Merson.

Merson clipped the ball out to Hoenes on the left of the penalty area. Hoenes sent a crisp cross to the back post where Theophanous’s header was blocked on the goalline by Bird but Merson was on hand to drill the rebound between the diving Bird and Rice and inside the keeper’s left hand post for his fifth goal of the season.

Merson celebrated with a cartwheel while Gosport manager Pike simply put his head into his hands.

City’s win keeps them in sixth place in National League South but the Saints take a break from league football next Saturday, 15th October, with a trip to Egham Town to face the Southern League Division One Central side in the 4th, and final, Qualifying Round of the FA Cup.

Egham, who are undefeated at their Runnymede Stadium so far this season, went down 3-0 to Steve Castle’s Royston Town in the FA Trophy on Saturday with a side showing five changes from the one that secured victory over Faversham in the FA Cup earlier in the week.

Kick off at Egham is at 3pm.

St Albans City: J.Russell, G.Casey, B.Herd, L.Chappell, J.Hill, A.Iwediuno, S.Lucien (D.Akinyemi 88), Sc.Thomas, L.Theophanous, S.Merson, M.Ball (R.Hoenes 73), subs not used: A.Komodikis, K.Pope.

Gosport Borough: M.Rice, TJ.Cuthbertson, T.Bird, A.Dawson, B.Poate, J.Oastler, J.Carmichael (A.Wilde 60), B.Harding, W.Bentley (O.Bailey 84), B.Wright (M.Carter 60), D.Wooden, sub not used: S.Pearce, J.Baron.

Booked: Cuthbertson, Dawson, Poate.

Goals: 23 1-0 Merson, 28 1-1 Poate, 90 2-1 Merson.

Referee: R Massey-Ellis (Coventry).

Att: 787.