A first half hat-trick by summer signing Lewis Toomey secured a first pre-season victory for St Albans City on Saturday as Essex Senior League side Enfield were seen off 3-2 at Goldsdown Road.

Toomey’s first goals since making the short move from Hemel Hempstead Town to Clarence Park were just a selection of some of what City manager David Howell believes to be a range of positives to be taken from the game.

Speaking after the game Howell, a veteran of the days when Enfield played at Southbury Road and enjoyed great success in the Isthmian League, Conference and FA Trophy, said, “The Barnet and Luton games came too early for us, we needed this sort of game before playing those two matches”.

“It will be good for Lewis to get the feel again of the ball hitting the net.”

Howell was particularly pleased with the Saints first half showing when, he said, “we were encamped in their half”.

There was also praise for winger Richard Graham whose crosses led to the first two goals, resulting in the former Dartford player having a hand in all of the Saints first four goals of the summer, “seeing his delivery made me wish I was still playing,” mused the City boss.

City included three new faces amongst the 21 players used during the game.

Central defender Danny Gordon, formerly of Aylesbury United and Staines Town played for the first 57 minutes of the match in the middle of the City defence.

Replacing Gordon for the remainder of the game was giant defender Curtis Ujah. Once on the books of Reading, Sheffield-born Ujah has seen service with the likes of Tamworth, Tonbridge Angels, Halesowen Town and Boreham Wood whilst also having played for Weston-super-Mare during a 3-0 defeat at home to St Albans in March 2008.

Nick Jupp was replaced between the sticks late in the day by Nick Hardy who made three appearances for City Reserves last season and in his one appearance for the First team, a Herts Charity Cup defeat at Leverstock Green, sustained a bad hand injury.

Due to the main pitch at Goldsdown Road being not yet fit to play on the game was switched to a pitch adjoining the main stadium, the openness of which gave the game the feel of being little more than a practice run-out.

Once the pitch is fully prepared it faces a busy winter being home to Enfield, Bush Hill Rangers and Akincilar FC – possibly fortunately for the playing surface its original owners, Brimsdown Rovers, are now defunct.

City opened the scoring on 23 minutes when Ollie Cleaver headed a Graham corner from the Saints right back across the face of the goal for the lurking Toomey to pounce for his first goal in a St Albans shirt.

Shortly after Cleaver headed over from another Graham corner City, on 28 minutes, moved into a two-goal lead when an in-swinging Graham free kick on the City left was headed goalwards at the back post by Chris Seeby for Toomey to get the final touch close to the goal line.

A fine save denied Sean Shields his first goal of the summer and on 35 minutes Enfield pulled a goal back with a fine flick past Jupp following a cross from the E’s left.

The visitors restored their two-goal advantage on 43 minutes when Toomey, receiving a Shields cross from the right, sent a looping header over the home keeper.

Howell made five changes for the start of the second half including former London Colney striker David Parkinson – who made three First team appearances for St Albans eight years ago – having a run alongside Aaron Lansiquot before he made way for Simon Martin.

Both David Ijaha and Ujah struck the frame of the home goal after the interval while Parkinson was out of luck with a cheeky back-heel that the keeper read.

Enfield reduced the deficit on 79 minutes when Jupp was sent the wrong way from the penalty spot.

St Albans City are next in action on Wednesday evening when a Watford XI visit Clarence Park, kick off is at 7.45pm.

St Albans City: N.Jupp (N.Hardy 81), C.Seeby (A.Blackwood 57), R.Watts (N.Bernard 57), D.Ijaha, J.Gray (M.Diarra 46), D.Gordon (C.Ujah 57), Se.Shields (C.Henry 46), O.Cleaver (Sol.Shields 57), L.Toomey (D.Parkinson 46), A.Lansiquot, (S.Martin 57), R.Graham (D.Spendlove 46).