A glorious first half strike by the rejuvenated Gary Cohen and an opportunist first goal for the club by teenager Jonathan O’Donnell carried St Albans City to a 2-0 Blue Square South victory over Bromley at Clarence Park on Saturday and moved the Saints to within six points of the play off places.

The Saints showed a marked improvement from their dismal display when these sides met at Hayes Lane three weeks ago with the return of Paul Hakim making a significant impact to an often goal-shy attack.

Business commitments had, prior to Saturday, restricted Hakim to just five midweek appearances this season and against Mark Goldberg’s side Hakim demonstrated just what City have been missing even if his finishing was a touch rusty.

Hakim, City’s leading scorer last season by a healthy ten-goal margin, had a hand in both goals and with his sharp mind gave the Saints attack a more threatening appearance than has been the case for much of the current campaign.

The return of Hakim, for Mark Peters, was the only change from the side beaten by Chelmsford the previous weekend while Bromley also made just one alteration from the side that drew with Dover, as impressive left back Harrison Dunk replaced Ryan Dolby.

With Hakim playing alongside Drew Roberts up front, Cohen started the game on the left of the midfield and seemed to relish the chance to run at the opposition from a deep position. But it was Bromley who had the first goalscoring opportunity only for Gareth A Williams to scuff his early effort gently through to Paul Bastock.

Saints midfielder Godfrey Poku, who played alongside O’Donnell for Luton Town Reserves in midweek, created City’s first chance of the afternoon when charging down Dunk’s attempted clearance and racing down the right flank before sending in a fine near post cross that Hakim headed wide.

For a while Bromley looked to be gaining the upper hand but appeared weak in front of goal. Twice one-time Saint Warren McBean was unable to punish his old club when failing to control the ball inside the six-yard box while Tutu Henriques sent a soft header through to Bastock.

St Albans took 28 minutes to muster an on-target shot but it was to be well worth the wait as Cohen became the first City player this season to score three times in open play.

Bastock launched a long kick to the edge of the Hatfield Road penalty area. Hakim neatly chested the ball down for Cohen to beat Gareth I Williams from 20 yards with an exquisite curling right-footed effort that clipped the inside of Williams left hand post on its way into the goal.

Hakim may already have been catching the eye in attack but further back there were excellent contributions being made by the likes of Poku and Peter Smith.

Left-back Smith looked to have set up a second goal when he intercepted Mark Corneille’s pass and tore down the flank before slipping an inch perfect pass into the path of Hakim who slightly blotted his copybook when sending the ball narrowly wide from 15 yards off the instep of his right boot.

Hakim caused Williams further discomfort when blocking his delayed clearance but the ball rebounded to the keeper before City could pounce.

City’s growing impetus was threatened as Ryan Frater departed with an injury but the introduction of Peters caused no disruption, indeed the whole of the St Albans defence looked its most solid for some weeks.

A swift counter-attack by the Kent side just prior to the interval looked promising as Ashley Carew and McBean sent Luke I’Anson through the middle but with a glorious sliding tackle Smith snuffed out the threat to the home goal.

And five minutes after the restart Bromley let another chance slip away when a free kick fell to Rob Gillman in a crowded goalmouth, his shot deflected off Justin Clayton but Bastock was down quickly to smother the ball on the goalline.

That miss was matched at the opposite end five minutes later when Hakim slid the ball into the penalty area only for the incoming James Fisher to hammer his shot well wide of Williams goal.

O’Donnell, maybe surprisingly left on the bench again, joined the action midway through the half as a replacement for Solomon Shields who signed by firing high over the York Road goal. O’Donnell was soon in the action as he forced Williams into a save with a shot from 25-ayrds that bounced awkwardly just in front of the keeper.

Much of the second half had seen the two defences well on top but all that changed during the final 15 minutes as both sides searched for goals.

The changing nature of the game was highlighted on 76 minutes when Bastock beat out I’Anson’s fierce cross and within seconds Hakim and Roberts had opened up the Bromley defence only for Hakim to fail to control Roberts return pass and allow the ball to trickle out for a goal kick.

Bromley had several good chances to avoid seeing their away goalless run extended to a fourth game but when Henriques was unable to turn in a Dolby corner from virtually on the goalline then it was clear they had problems.

City hit back with O’Donnell and Roberts setting up Fisher whose close range angled drive was athletically palmed over the top by the full extended Williams. Dolby, adding genuine menace to the Bromley attack, had a powerful effort punched away by Bastock before City wrapped up the points on 85 minutes.

Fisher and Roberts worked the ball across the pitch and into the penalty area where Hakim shot first time, not with any great power, across Williams and as the ball rebounded off the keepers right hand post O’Donnell stormed in to hammer his first goal for the Saints into the York Road net.

To their credit Bromley made a determined effort to reduce the deficit. The lively Marcus Cassius found space in the box but his low shot was superbly blocked by the diving Bastock with new signing Ramon Calliste wastefully sending the rebound high over the goal.

A minute later Cohen, playing with his confidence restored, won the ball off I’Anson and sent an ambitious effort goalwards from 25 yards that Williams fell to his right to save.

Bromley’s recent problems on their travels in front of goal came to the fore again in added time when McBean somehow weaved his way between three City players but as the ball ran away from him inside the penalty area Calliste again sent the ball off into the park.

Looking forward to next Saturday’s visit to high flying Dover Athletic the Saints will make their first visit to the Crabble with skipper Ryan Frater and striker Drew Roberts as the duo are suspended. Paul Hakim is also expected to be unavailable.

Paul Bastock will have cause for celebration though as the match will be his 200th for the club while Steve Castle will clock up 100 Conference South matches as manager.

Gary Cohen is in line for a peaceful Christmas as his booking against Bromley sees him miss City’s trip to Maidenhead United on Boxing Day.

The Saints celebrated Saturday's victory by going out for the evening in St Albans for their Christmas party.

St Albans City: P.Bastock, J.Quilter, P.Smith, G.Poku, J.Clayton, R.Frater (M.Peters 37), J.Fisher, S.Shields (J.O’Donnell 66), P.Hakim (A.Everitt 87), D.Roberts, G.Cohen subs; L.Sagna, D.Johnson.

Bromley: GI Williams, A.Fray (M.Cassius 66), H.Dunk, M.Corneille, T.Henriques, R.Gillman, A.Carew, L.I’Anson, W.McBean, R.Hall (R.Dolby 53), GA Williams (R.Calliste 60), subs, N.Greene, J.Sobers.

Goals: 1-0 Cohen 28, 2-0 O’Donnell 85.

Booked: Cohen, Fray, Corneille.

Referee: Lee Collins (Woking).

Att: 312.