Spirited City effort ends in Saints defeat

Despite a spirited second half performance City were beaten 3-1 by St Albans City at Twerton Park this afternoon. The visitors raced into a two-goal lead within the opening 30 minutes. A long ball forward on eight minutes saw Banton find space down City’s right and his low cross was fired home by Cooper. Then in the 27th minute Max Harris failed to claim a high ball into the box allowing Banton to double the Saints lead with a neat finish. Scott Wilson was desperately unlucky not to get City back in the game four minutes later, his low shot striking the inside of the post, but City went into the break two goals down. They threw everything they could at St Albans after the break and on 64 minutes Sonny Cox’s first time finish from Elliott Frear’s corner reduced the deficit. On several occasions City lived dangerously at the back but continued to press forward in search of an equaliser. Cody Cooke saw his 75th minute header come back of the post before Cox was only denied by a great block from Adebiyi two minutes later. With four minutes left City thought they had finally got the equaliser their second half performance deserved when Danny Greenslade headed home Opi Edwards’ free-kick, only for a very tight offside decision to rule out the ‘goal’. And in stoppage time St Albans sealed the win when Moore crossed for Weiss to volley past Harris.