Hawks Havant an answer as Roberts clinches City win (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Hawks Havant an answer as Roberts clinches City win

2:27am Tuesday 23rd February 2010 in

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A superb strike by Drew Roberts early in the second half at Westleigh Park on Monday clinched St Albans City one of their most impressive victories of the season and slowed in-form Havant & Waterlooville’s belated surge towards the Blue Square South play-off places.

On a treacherous, sodden pitch where players were never quite certain as to the bounce of the ball, Steve Castle’s Saints battled tirelessly to end the Hawks seven match unbeaten run and, in so doing, rekindle their own mathematic pursuit of a play-off position.

The match only just survived a late inspection by referee Nigel Lugg and despite the sorry state of the pitch at the end of the evening the Chipstead official was justified in letting the game go ahead.

Havant manager Shaun Gale kept the side that won at Worcester City at the weekend while City made three changes from Saturday’s defeated starting XI.

Central defenders Mark Peters and James Quilter, as expected, stood down for returning captain Ryan Frater and the again excellent Adam Everitt. Between them, the duo did an outstanding job in keeping quiet the Hawks 17-goal striker Manny Williams.

With Paul Hakim unavailable, the rejuvenated Gary Cohen returned to the attack where he lined up alongside Ian Dunn.

St Albans wasted little time in confirming that they had no intention of merely making up the numbers and within the first two minutes Roberts fired one shot a yard wide and had a second saved by keeper Aaron Howe.

Roberts’ two effort from outside the penalty area were clear signs that the strikers fancied their chances on a surface that was soon to cut up in large chunks as players slid through the soft surface.

On 15 minutes Jake Beecroft, nearing the end of his loan spell from Rushden & Diamonds, struck what should have been a deadly free kick from out on the City left towards the back post but with no team-mates attacking the ball it was left to Hawks left back Jon McDonald to it behind for a corner.

For the next ten minutes Havant pushed on in a way that suggested City were in for an awkward evening.

A long kick by Howe saw Williams lay the ball off to Wes Fogden who cut inside onto his right foot and shot low from 18 yards only for Paul Bastock to get down well and push the ball away for a corner.

Moments later Bastock moved smartly to push an Ian Selley free kick around his left hand upright.

The pressure was maintained with Williams and Tabiri working the ball up to Mustafa Tiryaki who did well to get between two City defenders only to hammer the ball into the side netting.

Midway through the half Frater cleared a free kick as far as Jon McDonald whose snap shot cleared the City goal.

One of the most eye-catching performers of the opening 45 minutes was Solomon Shields and the midfielder won a free kick on 37 minutes that Roberts, standing some 25 yards from goal, struck with great venom. The ball cleared the grasping hand of Howe but also went over the target by the smallest of margins.

Three minutes from break the lively Roberts was in the thick of the action once more as he turned and tested Howe high to the keeper’s right following good work between Peter Smith and Cohen.

City fully deserved to go in level at the interval but they nearly fell behind in the final seconds when Williams did well to cut the ball into the middle of the penalty area where Tabiri saw his rising shot strike the crossbar and go over for a goalkick.

The two sides had been back on the pitch less than a minute after the restart when Bastock was forced to concede another corner as Tabiri looked for his first goal for the Hawks.

From McDonald’s ensuing corner Dunn miscued his attempted clearance and there was a mass scramble inside the penalty area before Fogdon stabbed the ball wide of the goal.

As the penalty area cleared Bastock, seeing a large swath of turf cut up close to the six-yard box, indulged in a piece of extravagant digging with an imaginary spade before throwing himself into his new man-made hole. Havant’s smallest attendance of the season enjoyed the antics of City’s evergreen keeper but referee Lugg appeared less impressed.

City closed in on their second success at Westleigh Park with a clinically struck goal on 56 minutes.

McDonald, the owner of an almighty long throw that caused City several anxious moments, slipped up badly with a loose pass in the middle of the Havant half that went to straight to Beecroft.

The 20-year-old played a delightful ball into the path of Roberts who appeared to be losing his chance when forced wide of the goal. But as the angle narrowed City’s leading marksman this season unleashed a deadly angled right-footed shot that went at some speed past Howe’s desperate dive.

Stung into action the Hawks now looked as though they meant business and upped the tempo as they sought to get back onto level terms.

Everitt did well to beat Ian Simpemba to a McDonald free kick and from the ensuing free kick, again taken by McDonald, Bastock stretched to push the ball away for a third successive corner. This time the Bostonian impressively held McDonald’s set piece when under pressure.

A minutes Castle replaced Dunn with James Lindie and the former Southend United man was soon in action as he just failed to make a firm a contact in front of goal to a cross from Cohen after Godfrey Poku and Smith had linked well.

Havant had three half hearted penalty appeals rejected. One of which saw Fogden break into the penalty area, after exchanging passes with Steve Walker, and go down in a heap as Bastock chose to tackle the midfielder and just caught him on the ankle at the same time as putting the ball behind for one more corner.

Once that corner was cleared the game entered a calmer phase with Havant looking bereft of invention and City appearing content with their slender advantage.

But just before the start of more than three minutes of added time the game sprang back into life.

A long hopeful punt out to the Havant right was headed back into the penalty area by Tiryaki with Williams seemingly losing possession and then winning it back before shooting into the side netting.

As the Hawks became increasingly fraught Bastock was ludicrously booked for alleged time-wasting and another McDonald long throw ended with Walker shooting wide of the target.

A City breakaway ended with substitute Chris Sullivan having a shot from the edge of the penalty area that was charged down. Back came Havant again but once more they were repelled as James Fisher dived full length to head the ball away.

Still though the trouble was not over as the hardworking Poku missed his kick inside the penalty area, fortunately Lindie got the ball away for a throw.

With just seconds remaining Howe moved forward to join the Hawks attack but could only look on as the ball sailed over his head and Frater whacked it away just as the final whistle sounded.

After the final whistle a jubilant Steve Castle revealed that he is looking to extend the loan of Jake Beecroft, the midfielder is due to return to Rushden & Diamonds after City’s trip to Eastleigh on 6 March.

Midfielders Godfrey Poku and Jonathan O’Donnell are set to return to Luton Town this week at the end of their loan spells at Clarence Park.

James Quilter, the only player to have featured in all of City’s 31 league games this season will, if selected, make his 100th appearance for the club during next Tuesday’s (2 March) home match with Dorchester Town, who are currently managed by former City favourite Ashley Vickers.

Havant & Waterlooville: A.Howe, J.Newton, J.McDonald, I.Selley (A.Jusufi 80), G.MacDonald, I.Simpemba, W.Fogden, P.Hinshelwood (S.Walker 63), M.Williams, M.Tiryaki, J.Tabiri, subs, S.Pearce, L.Medley, J.Gasson.

St Albans City: P.Bastock, J.Fisher, P.Smith, G.Poku, A.Everitt, R.Frater, J.Beecroft, S.Shields (J.Quilter 82), I.Dunn (J.Lindie 62), G.Cohen, D.Roberts (C.Sullivan 89), subs; R.Magwood, R.Dedman.

Goal: Roberts 56.

Booked: MacDonald, Tabiri, Poku, Bastock.

Referee: Nigel Lugg (Chipstead).

Att: 552.