ST ALBANS CITY, masquerading as the City Reserve side for the third consecutive week, enjoyed another goal feast at Clarence Park on Monday evening (October 22) with a 6-1 victory against a youthful Billericay Town second XI.

In addition to giving striker Gary Ansell a 60 minute run out to boost his fitness ahead of his return following his shoulder operation later in the year, the Saints gave a debut to Youth team midfielder Jake Attwood and early in the second half had a look at young trialist Justice Muze who did his prospects no harm with a well taken goal.

On an unseasonally warm October evening, the Saints were gifted a goal inside 65 seconds when a Gary Wraight cross from the City left was erroneously punched backwards by goalkeeper Lee Richards into the Hatfield Road goal.

The Billericay custodian did redeem himself later in the half, though, with excellent saves from Jason Blythe and Wraight, but he was out of luck in the 29th minute when he did well to parry a Rob Smith volley but could only look on helplessly as Blythe popped up to head home the rebound via the inside of the keeper's right hand upright.

Worse was to come for the visitors as they gifted the Saints possession straight from the kick off and within seconds Wraight was closing in on goal before he slipped the ball into the path of Ansell. The injury prone striker had no trouble in sticking away his first goal at Clarence Park since last December.

A somewhat harshly awarded 63rd minute penalty for a foul by Danny Gay on Freddie Hyatt presented Ryan Moran with the opportunity to claim the Saints fourth goal which he duly did with a carefully placed penalty which sent the keeper the wrong way.

The Saints fifth goal arrived four minutes later and was very much a 'route one' strike as Steve Cook flicked on a long clearance by Wilmot. As a retreating defender and Richards got into a muddle, Muze poked the ball between the two of them and ran on to guide in his first goal for the club within 15 minutes of coming on as substitute for 16 year-old Attwood.

Billericay managed to put City under pressure at odd times during the second half and gained some reward for their effort in the 70th minute when a scramble inside the six yard box ended with Andrew Goodwin forcing the ball over the line for a consolation goal.

With seven minutes remaining, City scored the best goal of the night, the livewire Blythe broke free down the right and crossed deep into the penalty area where Wraight skilfully sent a scissor kicked half-volley beyond Richards grasp and into the back of the net for the Saints sixth and final goal.

October 27, 2001 14:38