Clinical Saints send City crashing to heavy home defeat

City suffered their heaviest home defeat of the season this afternoon as play-off rivals St Albans City’s ran out 3-0 winners. The Saints had never previously won at Twerton Park but were clinical in front of goal, all three of their on target efforts finding the back of the net. By contrast City enjoyed the majority of possession, created numerous good openings, particularly during the first half, but once again came up short where it really matters. The first of these came after just five minutes when Jack Batten’s shot was parried by keeper Snedker and Adam Mann’s follow-up shot crashed against the bar. Andy Watkins then failed to direct a header on target, a mistake the visitors didn’t repeat on 15 minutes when an unmarked Kamdjo powered a corner past Ryan Clarke. Six minutes later Sean Rigg’s deflected shot dropped agonisingly the wrong side of the post with Snedker beaten. The busy keeper then produced a great double save from Mann and Joe Raynes as City continued to control the game. Further chances came and went but City went into the break still trailing by a single goal. The early exchanges of the second half saw City create another three chances, Raynes, Mann and James Morton all going close to levelling, but on 54 minutes St Albans took full advantage of a rare foray forward, Merson heading Clark’s cross back across goal onto the post where the linesman flagged for a goal before Clarke could grasp the ball. This second goal seemed to deflate the Romans and, although they continued to enjoy the majority of the ball, goalscoring chances dried up and in stoppage time Wyatt drove home a third goal to complete a great afternoon for the Hertfordshire side.