7:59pm Saturday 1st December 2007
By Dave Tavener
St Albans City manager Dave Anderson refused to say that his side have' turned the corner' but the dramatic last minute penalty converted by Saints captain Lee Clarke to clinch a 1-0 win and league double over high-flying Bromley on Saturday will be seen by many as the foundation upon which City can build a platform to climb out of the bottom three of Blue Square South.
Clarke epitomised City's fighting spirit having played despite being physically ill in the dressing room shortly before kick off, surely there can be no sweeter medicine than sticking away the goal that clinched only a second success at Clarence Park for St Albans in 20 home games since the end of January.
Other than for Hassan Sulaiman replacing Paul Armstrong, Anderson went for the XI that performed encouragingly against Basingstoke and Braintree. His loyalty was rewarded with a gritty display against a Bromley side that is one of the best footballing sides in the Division but gave a poor account of themselves after the break having twice being thwarted by the woodwork prior to the interval.
What City did make clear is that they are no longer pushed aside easily and, as in recent games, showed a commendable battling spirit that is crucial in their fight to avoid a second successive relegation. Equally important, is the fact that City have now kept a clean sheet in two of their last three Blue Square South matches.
For all of their effort, City required a modicum of good fortune not to fall behind as Bromley attacked the Hatfield Road goal during the opening half. On 11 minutes Danny Hockton seized upon a headed clearance from Gary Elphick and from 20 yards tested Nick Eyre with a snap shot that the City keeper saw late but did extremely well to push onto an upright.
City's first serious threat, during an open and enjoyable opening half played in increasingly wet conditions, saw the excellent Richard Butler thwarted twice in quick succession by Bromley keeper Andy Walker whose second save came at the cost of a corner. Scott Cousins' corner went beyond the far post but was worked inside to Jon Stevenson whose fine shot on the turn fizzed over the visitors goal.
As City penned Bromley back Walker again came to the Lilywhites rescue with a wonderful fingertip save low to his left as Stevenson's volley from a Craig Vargas cross seemed goalbound. But it was Mark Goldberg's side that almost grabbed an interval lead when Garath McCleary teed up Gareth Williams whose firm drive struck the inside of Eyre's right hand post and flew teasingly across the face of the goal.
The second half was a less free-flowing affair, Bromley struggled to find any rhythm and the longer the game wore on only one side, St Albans, appeared capable of taking all three points. Four minutes after the restart Cousins fired high over the target after being set up by Butler and the inaccuracy of that effort set the tone for the remainder of the game.
With a screwed shot wide Williams wasted a clear opening for Bromley while Eyre demonstrated his agility with a brilliant stop with his feet as Tutu Henriques stabbed the ball towards the York Road goal. Bromley's defence, ruthlessly exposed during City's thrilling win Hayes Lane earlier in the season, was increasingly tested once Goldberg withdrew striker Hockton and the pressure began to tell as Mark Corneille was cautioned for bringing down Sulaiman on the edge of the box.
Walker was tested again on 85 minutes when he clawed the ball away high to his right as Butler's overhead kick following a flick on by Clarke flew towards the top corner. Bromley's resistance cracked in the final minute when Clarke and Cousins combined to send Butler down the right of the Bromley defence only to be sent tumbling courtesy of a shove by Corneille.
With City's first penalty in open play since April, Clarke kept his nerve to slot the ball low to Walker's left as the keeper moved to his right. Having beaten Braintree in their previous home mach after 11 spot kicks, City were happy to take the points on this occasion with Clarke's single strike.
St Albans City: N.Eyre, J.Faal-Thomas, C.Vargas, J.Stevenson (P.Semakula 83), G.Elphick, H.Deen, H.Sulaiman, P.Bruce, R.Butler, L.Clarke, S.Cousins (M.McKie 90); subs, R.Noel, H.Twomey, S.Seanla.
Bromley: A.Walker, M.Corneille, B.Judge, T.Henriques, F.Duku, J.Sobers, G.McCleary, B.Bowry, G.Williams, D.Hockton (L.I'anson 69), S.Wood; subs, T.Davis, L.Headley, W.Wilson, N.McDonnell.
Booked: Stevenson, Duku, Corneille, Henriques.
Referee: Carl Berry (Cheam).
Att: 393.
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