Romans successfully invade St Albans again (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Romans successfully invade St Albans again

9:53pm Saturday 30th January 2010

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St Albans City’s slide down the Blue Square South table continued at a sunny but cold Clarence Park on Saturday as Bath City romped to an easy 2-0 victory over an alarmingly inept Saints side.

Bath’s recent form has been patchy but, on this evidence, they look one of the better sides in the Division and appear to have the quality and confidence to make a late run for the play offs.

As for the Saints, well this was a pitiful display and one can only have sympathy for the debut making Jake Beecroft and Jake Argent as they were let down badly by those around them, save for Adam Everitt and Paul Bastock who, at times, appeared to be standing up to Adie Britton’s side on their own.

City even welcomed back, on a one month loan from Luton Town, Godfrey Poku and Jonathan O’Donnell. Poku certainly did not have a bad game but he needed better support from those around him than he was given.

O’Donnell had to be content with a place on the bench for over an hour. He may appear a frail figure but is deceptively strong and possesses the thrilling skills that all teams are crying out for in a league blighted by graft being more important than genuine match winning ability.

Steve Castle abandoned the brave 4-3-3 formation he went for at Newport the previous week, and pulled Gary Cohen back to the left of the midfield as Chris Sullivan, on his home debut, joined Drew Roberts in attack.

With City playing little passing football Beecroft was unable to have a great impact on the game out on the right of the midfield, but the Rushden & Diamonds player looks likely to be a useful short-term acquisition although playing in a wide position did not seem to suit him.

As early morning snow cleared from the pitch in bright sunshine from a cloudless sky, it still required the dedication of a small posse of supporters to sweep away snow from the terraces for the game to go ahead. Even so, the Hatfield Road terrace was wisely closed off for safety reasons.

Coming from the snow-free west, Bath were in no mood to be caught cold and could have built a sizeable lead within the opening few minutes.

Within 80 seconds of the kick off the locals must have wondered if their efforts had been worth it as the lively Sido Jombati fired over the home goal from close in, the tone for the afternoon had been set.

On four minutes Darren Edwards played the ball out to the Romans right to Kaid Mohamed and from his excellent low ball towards the back post Lewis Hogg moved in for the kill only for Bastock to make the first of several outstanding saves.

Bastock was straight back in the thick of the action as he palmed over the top Chris Holland’s header from Hogg’s corner.

But the 39-year-old keeper was found wanting when Hogg’s next corner, on five minutes, was weakly pushed out as far as Holland who drove the ball home from 12 yards.

City’s response was muted and but for an astonishing number of tackles and headers won by Everitt the Romans could have had the game sewn up long before half time.

St Albans conjured up just one on target effort in either half, on 20 minutes Drew Roberts, set up by Sullivan shot straight at Ryan Robinson before the Saints went back into their shell.

A well-worked Bath move ended with Hogg drilling the ball just over from 25 yards while Bastock redeemed himself with a fine tip over following Gethin Jones’ header from a Hogg free kick.

The utter turmoil the home club appears to be in off the park following the scathing attack by the directors – most of whom were absent from this match – on the Supporters Trust was being replicated on the pitch as Bath continued to push forward with some slick passing moves.

City survived a goalmouth scramble after Mohamed headed the ball into the goalmouth, and a near post free kick was just too high for the incoming Jombati before Bastock again came to the rescue when managing to tip onto the woodwork a well-placed low effort from Mark Badman.

The half ended with Bath trying desperately hard to gain a more deserving interval lead but despite two frantic scrimmages in the home goalmouth the Romans could not add a second goal.

The second half was a more even affair but to suggest St Albans were ever likely to stave off defeat would be fanciful.

A fine move down the visitors left saw Mohamed race away, when freed by skipper Jim Rollo, and cut inside to test Bastock with a crisp drive. The City keeper did well to beat the ball out and was relieved to see an off balance Badman fail to turn the loose ball home.

Completely out of the blue the Saints almost drew level on 56 minutes when Sullivan unleashed a glorious effort from 25 yards that Robinson pushed upwards and watched with relief as the ball dropped just wide of his left hand upright. It was nothing more than a false dawn as Robinson saw out the remainder of the afternoon in relative peace.

A clever looped pass by Hogg sent Edwards clear inside the box but the Romans leading marksman put the ball tamely through to Bastock who then made saves in quick succession from Adam Connolly and Badman.

With his attack making few inroads Castle sought to liven things up with the 64th minute introduction of O’Donnell for Sullivan. O’Donnell went to the left of the midfield with Cohen renewing his attacking partnership with Roberts.

Four minutes later James Quilter, still nursing a knee injury, was replaced by Ross Dedman and on 74 minutes Argent, on for Roberts, came on for his debut.

The Leyton Orient youngster made a good impression with some lively runs and looked a real threat inside the penalty area; all that was lacking was decent support.

O’Donnell too, after a quiet start, gave Bath some anxious moments, particularly from two tantalising runs from deep positions, the second of which was only halted by the third defender putting the ball out for a corner.

Within a minute of coming on Argent threatened to put City back on level terms when he waited to pounce on Cohen’s headed pass from Everitt’s ball into the box, only for the ball to be whipped off his toe and referee Barry Holderness, who otherwise had a sound game, to incorrectly award a goal kick.

With a swift counter-attack following a Poku free kick Bath almost increased their lead as Mohamed thundered deep into the City half before being denied by a fully extended Bastock.

But any hope the Saints retained of avoiding a fourth successive defeat vanished on 75 minutes when the visitors notched an outstanding decisive second goal.

In a move reminiscent of one in the first half, Edwards spread the ball out to Mohamed on the right but this time, instead of playing an early ball into the box, the Welshman cut to the goalline and chipped a perfect cross to Hogg who capped an excellent personal performance with a downward header that bounced high into the Saints net.

St Albans City: P.Bastock, J.Quilter (R.Dedman 68), P.Smith, G.Poku, A.Everitt, R.Frater, J.Beecroft, J.Fisher, C.Sullivan (J.O’Donnell 64), D.Roberts (J.Argent 74), G.Cohen, subs; R.Magwood, J.Clayton.

Bath City: R.Robinson, S.Jombati, J.Rollo, G.Jones, C.Holland, A.Connolly, S.Simpson, M.Badman, D.Edwards (A.Caldwell 90), K.Mohamed (A.Stolcers 80), L.Hogg, subs; A.Harris, M.Coupe, S.Douglas.

Goals: 0-1 Holland 5, 0-2 Hogg 80.

Booked: Fisher.

Referee: Barry Holderness (Hornchurch).

Att: 383.

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