With two goals inside the opening seven minutes at Clarence Park on Saturday St Albans City strolled to as easy three points as they are likely to collect all season as Frome Town went down to a 4-0 Southern League defeat with barely a whimper.

For the opening half hour City attacked with deadly intent and with nine goals scored in their opening three Premier Division fixtures, along with their first clean sheet also in the bag, David Howell’s side is shaping up to be a formidable force.

Fielding an unchanged starting XI from the midweek win over Cambridge City the Saints boss was concerned that his side may be complacent. Within 38 seconds of the kick off the team gave their response by storming into the lead.

Frome had no answer to the wizardry of Sean Shields during the opening 45 minutes and despite facing two defenders the 20-year-old whipped over a tremendous cross from wide on the City right that was met at the back post by Richard Graham for the Irishman to loop a header high across Robins keeper Darren Chitty and into the Hatfield Road net.

For Graham it was his first goal since joining City in the summer and for Shields it was the fifth goal he has already created for the Saints this season.

Frome showed little appetite for coming back from one-down and when City added a second on seven minutes the contest was as good as over.

Lewis Toomey is without doubt the player to have aroused most interest at the Park following his excellent form in front of goal of goal already this season.

On this occasion he demonstrated that is also a provider as he stretched to prod the ball out to Graham and with an inch-perfect left-footed cross the ball was floated onto the head of Barry Hayles who, with time and space aplenty, despatched a header to the left of Chitty for his second goal in as many games.

St Albans, with Shields in full flight and superbly assisted down the right flank by Chris Seeby who did not put a foot wring in this his 200th game for the club, continued to pass their way through the overrun visitors from Somerset.

Seeby, following another deep cross by Shields, was only denied a goal himself when his well-timed header was pushed away by the diving Chitty with Hayles just unable to slide home the loose ball.

But City were in no mood to be kept waiting and on 25 minutes the third goal arrived and what an outstanding strike it was once more by Toomey.

The move began right back on the edge of the home penalty area with keeper Nick Jupp moving out to intercept Dean Evans long ball intended for Claudio Herbert.

Curtis Ujah stepped in to give possession to Micah Hyde who calmly laid the ball wide to Seeby. From his long pass towards the Frome penalty area Hayles challenged for possession with the ball breaking loose and being hammered at great pace from 25 yards past Chitty by the irrepressible Toomey.

Unlike his spectacular effort against Cambridge, Toomey took this one with his right foot and is displaying unwavering confidence after notching his fifth goal in four games.

City had chances to add to Frome’s misery with Hayles heading straight through to Chitty, Toomey blazing across the face of the goal and Hayles just failing to reach a Toomey cross before the half ended under a cloudburst.

Possibly aided by City being content with what they had, Frome made a better fist of things after the interval and were unlucky not to pull a goal back on 50 minutes when Jupp finger-tipped a James Lyons free kick onto the inside of an upright. The ball then rolled along the goal line before the excellent James Gray cleared.

David Ijaha, playing his 50th game for the Saints went on a long run that ended with a low shot not far off target before the Robins won three corners in quick succession.

Although looking better Frome still appeared unlikely to break down a highly impressive City defence and on 64 minutes it was St Albans who broke through for the fourth time.

Seeby, Shields and Chris Henry – on for the injured Toomey – all linked up before Henry pushed a short ball into Shields path and from 18 yards the winger sent a deadly low effort with his right instep across Chitty and inside the keeper’s right-hand upright.

Inside the final ten minutes City had two good chances to secure their biggest league win since February 2009, Chitty saved the first from Shields and then Hayles, after skipping past Dave Thompson and Aaron Ledgister slotted his placed shot just wide of the target.

After the match Toomey confirmed that his knee injury is not serious and he will be available for Monday’s trip to Chesham United.

James Gray faces a bigger struggle to be fit in time for the match after adding an ankle injury to his ongoing back problems.

Kick off at The Meadow on Monday is at 3pm. Both sides are on seven points after three games with St Albans in second place and Chesham in fourth separated by goal difference.

St Albans City: N.Jupp, C.Seeby, D.Gordon (R.Watts 65), D.Ijaha, C.Ujah, J.Gray, Se.Shields, M.Hyde (G.Risbridger 73), L.Toomey (C.Henry 59), B.Hayles, R.Graham, subs; S.Martin, M.Diarra.

Frome Town: D.Chitty, D.Thompson, A.Ledgister, D.Flockton (M.Cowler 77), R.Bennett, D.Bowman, M.Smith (L.Sparey 82), D.Evans, N.Auckland, C.Herbert (T.Colledge 83), J.Lyons, subs; A.Lapham, L.Powell.

Booked: Evans.

Goals: 1 1-0 Graham, 7 2-0 Hayles, 25 3-0 Toomey, 64 4-0 Shields.

Referee: Tony Power (Harrow Weald).

Att: 336.