I visited Clarence Park, home of St Albans City for my latest fix for a match between St Albans City and Cambridge City. The home side had a 100% home record for the league season so far while Cambridge were unbeaten away from home so this was always going to prove a tight affair. However the away side settled the fastest and thought they had taken the lead on six minutes after a long range effort from James Brighton came back off the underside of the bar and bounced down on or over the line, depending which side you were in favour off, but as goal line technology isn't available in this level of football the referee and linesman had to decide if it had crossed the line and they ruled that it hadn't, much to the away sides annoyance. Cambridge continued to dominate and they won a free kick on the edge of the box on 15 minutes and from this Andy Marriott curled a beautiful free kick into the top corner past St Albans keeper Paul Bastock to make it 1-0 to the away side. Bastock made two more smart saves to keep the home side in the contest as Cambridge continued to create the chances. St Albans best effort of the half was when John Frendo turned inside the box and hit a shot just wide of the upright. The home side thought they should of had a penalty after 42 minutes when Frendo went down under a challenge in the box but the referee deemed it not a foul and pointed for a corner instead, which annoyed the home side somewhat. The second half started much the same as the first, Cambridge looking more threatening going forward and St Albans limited to half chances or long range efforts that didn't trouble the away sides goal. Cambridge hit the woodwork again on the hour mark after the good cross found Josh Beech at the back post but he could only volley his effort against the post. Then on 65 minutes St Albans were reduced to 10 men when centre back Ryan Wharton was shown a second yellow for a foul, thus making the task of getting back into the game even more difficult. Cambridge continued to pass up opportunity after opportunity as St Albans tried to put more attacking emphasis on the game to try and get back into it thus leaving gaps at the back. The away side nearly paid for these misses however as in the final minute of the ninety a cross found its way to St Albans player Ben Martin and his shot was brilliantly tipped round the post by Cambridge stopper Zac Barrett. This was the home sides best chance by far in the whole match. St Albans had another six minutes to try and get a, lets be honest, undeserved leveller but Cambridge City held out firmly to record a victory by 1 goal to nil and remain unbeaten away from home while ending St Albans 100% home record. So the majority of the 327 crowd went home disappointed but cant really deny the fact the away side deserved all three points.
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