A fine second half display was enough to give St Albans City a 2-1 win over Truro City as they climbed back into National League South play-off places.

The result ended a poor run of form for City, which had seen them fail to win a league game in their six previous matches.

It took Ian Allinson’s side sometime to get going and they eventually took the lead with just over an hour played when Sam Merson found the net.

They gave themselves breathing space with nine minutes to play when Charlie Walker doubled their advantage.

Truro looked to mount a late revival and pulled a goal back through Tyler Harvey’s effort, but his stoppage-time effort proved to be little more than a consolation.

The home side were on the back foot early on and City could have gone ahead in fortuitous fashion when a cross from the left eluded everyone and dropped just wide.

A goalmouth scramble from a corner should have yielded the breakthrough but could only go scuff a shot wide from six yards.

By this point it was all City, but the chances they were failing to make the most of the chances they did create continued to go begging.

Rhys Murrell-Williamson was the next man to try his luck and forced a smart stop from Tom McHale with a drive from distance.

He would go close with a similar effort soon after, but on this occasion dragged his shot wide with McHale beaten.

Zane Banton had perhaps City’s clearest opening of the first half when Merson made a driving run inside from the right and released him on the edge of the box.

Having settled on the ball, Banton could only place a shot well over the bar when he really should have done better.

Despite all their pressure, the Saints were fortunate not to go in behind at half-time when Harvey lined up a free-kick 20 yards from goal.

He measured his effort well and wad hugely unfortunate to see his strike cannon back off the inside if the post and away.

City continued to have the better of the game in the second half and eventually grabbed the go-ahead goal with 61 minutes played.

Billy Palfrey lifted a fine pass over the top and into the path of Merson who volleyed into the ground, His strike was not the best, but had enough to slip through the hands of McHale and trickled over the line.

With a lead to defend, City refused to let their foot off the gas and were rewarded with a vital second late on.

The goal was a gift as a Truro man played an awful backpass into the path of Walker, who had a free run on goal.

Walker made no mistake with his finish ad drove a fierce strike through the keeper to make it 2-0.

The second goal all but ended the game as a contest,but Truro were given something to cheer about in the closing stages after a coming together on the edge of the box.

Harvey calmly dispatched the resulting penalty to set up a nervy conclusion, but City held on to win.

City are six-points adrift of table toppers Dartford ahead of a game against Hertford Town on Saturday.