Ryman League Premier Division: St Albans City 1-0 Harrow Borough

A SIMON MARTIN penalty five minutes from time at a sunny Clarence Park carried St Albans City to a second successive Ryman League victory on Saturday, October 27, leaving visitors Harrow Borough just a single point off the foot of the table.

That the deciding goal did indeed come via the penalty spot was of no great surprise to the sun drenched spectators as during the preceeding 85 minutes both forward lines looked remarkably toothless although, in City's defence, Saints posed the greater threat in front of goal and Martin was justly named man-of-the-match.

For a side set for an all too familiar battle against relegation, Harrow, admittedly only fleetingly, showed some fine approach work but even with former Saint Spencer Knight infusing some trickery to their forward line they presented City keeper Richard Wilmot with one of his most peaceful afternoons of the season so far.

The opening exchanges were even with both sides, through Knight and Saints' Younes Nabil, sending tame efforts wide, while a good piece of control and skill by the impressive Martin ended with Boro keeper Duncan Roberts blocking the City strikers low shot.

A half of gentle sparring, which occasionally threatened to burst into life but never quite made it, petered out with a glancing header by Martin from a Smith cross just drifting wide of the target.

City looked to have gone ahead on 55 minutes when a Hyatt corner was headed back across goal by Moran to Brown whose goalbound header was superbly beaten away by Roberts outstretched right arm.

Just after the hour the tough tackling Carl Levene set up substitute Leon Woodruffe - who reputedly attracted the Saints' attention last month - for a crisp shot which Wilmot again saved well.

When Martin sent a snap shot wide on 75 minutes the Saints appeared on course to fail to score in a league match for the first time this season but with just five minutes remaining, Boro succumbed with defender Richard Clarke inadvertently aiding their downfall.

Good work by Hyatt seemed to have gone unrewarded when neither Moran nor Martin could get onto the ball inside the penalty area but Smith was on hand to grab possession only to be hauled down by Clarke as he tried to go wide of the Boro defender.

Referee Paul Hammond, wasted no time in pointing to the spot where Martin sent a poor penalty slightly to the right of the middle of the goal but he was able to claim his sixth goal of the goal of the season despite Roberts getting a firm hand on the ball.

For the full match report, see the St Albans Observer on Thursday, November 1.

October 31, 2001 19:13

By David Tavener