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MiddxSaint

By MiddxSaint
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MiddxSaint

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Forest Green Rovers Website

 

Rovers draw again

Rovers 2 St. Albans 2

 

Rovers missed the chance to pull away from the relegation zone with a poor display at home against St.Albans on Saturday.

 

The visitors created a couple of chances at the start and it took Rovers a while to get into the match. When they did they controlled the match with somne decent passing but there were few goalscoring chances created and they paid the price as St.Albans took the lead in the 42nd minute with a goal from Ben Walsh.

 

Rovers suddenly spriung into life and they were level within minutes as Simon Clist fired in a goal off the post just before the half time break.

 

The introduction of Allan Russell during the second half proved successfull as within three minutes the Scotsman had put Rovers into the lead, but a mix-up at the back following a corner from the visitors gave away a soft goal leaving the match ending at 2-2.

 

Forest Green Rovers are at home this coming Saturday afternoon when they play Northwich Victoria at the New Lawn, kick-off 3.00pm.

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Rushden & Diamonds website

 

Yet again Rushden & Diamonds were blown away by a team scoring three in the first half. It was shades of Woking and Northwich as the Diamonds defence looked to have adopted the Christmas spirit several weeks early. The difference in this game was that at least the team made a fight of it in the second half, but although the woodwork denied an equaliser there are serious defensive issues need urgent resolution.

The Diamonds were making their first league visit to the Clarence Park to take on a St Albans City side hoping to repay their fans who suffered a 6-0 drubbing at the hands of Grays in the previous home game. New Diamonds loan signing Chris Plummer played for Grays in that game and he was the only change to the starting line up from the victory over Yeovil. Ex-Diamond Magnus Okuonghae was only on the bench for the Saints.

On a crisp November afternoon, Diamonds took to the field in their Red Strip, with Tony Godden having to bring in Chris Plummer to replace the injured Glenn Wilson. Simeon Jackson was joined on the bench by Ben Sedgemore, Daniel Chillingworth, Greg Pearson and Nicky Eyre, with Diamonds continuing to play the 4-4-2 formation reintroduced following the departure of Paul Hart.

St Albans kicked off towards the end occupied by the Diamonds fans, and within seven seconds were ahead. The ball went forward to Paul Watson, and the left back miscued his attempted pass to Tynan, with the ball running square across the area for Elliot Benyon to pounce and knock a simple goal past Tynan.

Any thought this might have been a freak, and the game would then settle were quickly dispelled as firstly Lee Tomlin had a great chance blocked at the other end, and then Damian Batt, who was to torment Paul Watson for the entire half put in a cross that the entire Diamonds defence watched, and allowed Lee Clarke an other simple finish. Diamonds were thus two down with only three minutes on the clock.

Two more great chances then fell to Lee Tomlin - the first well saved by Bastock, and the second stopped by what looked a clear foul, but the referee turned down the calls for a penalty. A third chance then fell to Tommo after a quick free kick, but again Paul Bastock pulled off a decent save, a feat he repeated from the same player a few minutes later after Tyrone Berry's pace proved too much for the Saints defence.

The Diamonds defence was still looking shaky as the end-to-end stuff continued, and Scott Tynan was lucky that his charged down clearance squirmed out for a Goal Kick. Worse was to come in the 12th minute, as the central defenders got in each others way in clearing a routine high ball, and it was quickly laid off to Benyon who neatly scored in the right hand corner of the net.

So, after 15 minutes the Diamonds were three-nil down, and yet had probably matched the Saints in terms of possession and chances.

After 22 minutes Lee Tomlin jumped into the back of a defender, conceding a free kick. Manager Godden had clearly previously told Tomlin to steer clear of making such fouls, and raged at the teenager, issuing instructions to Simeon Jackson to get ready to come on. Although a bluff, a few St Albans fans encouraged him to carry out this threat, as clearly Tommo represented a major goal threat.

Tyrone Berry continued to threaten down the right, and Bastock had to make further decent saves, notably one from a Paul Watson shot as he tried to redeem himself for his earlier errors. Michael Rankine confused even his own team mates with a couple of headers, but he continued to worry the St Albans defence in the air and on the deck, as it looked more and more likely that at least one goal would be clawed back before half time.

Chris Plummer was having a quiet debut at right back, with most of the problems occurring down the St Albans right, led by Matt Hann.

With only one minute of added time, the score remained 3-0 until half-time, and the 479 travelling fans wondered whether the half-time team talk might result in a different performance in the second half, especially at the back.

Half-time: St Albans 3 – 0 Rushden & Diamonds

The second half started exactly as Diamonds fans had hoped. Within two minutes of the restart Lee Tomlin netted from the edge of the box following a good run and cross by Marcus Kelly.

That was the prelude to a complete period of domination for the Diamonds, as they created chance after chance, with it looking only a matter of time before further goals came.

After a number of skied attempts by Rankine and Tomlin, and some "how did they keep that out" moments as the St Albans defence adopted a siege mentality, the second goal came from a scramble following a cross in from the right. The goal was initially awarded to Michael Rankine, but others put it down to Marcus Kelly, and this seems to be the final verdict - Chris Plummer also played a part in the goal.

Hope and Hatswell were looking a threat at set pieces, as further efforts went wide, and Paul Bastock cut out a series of low crosses from Tyrone Berry.

There was still hope that the equaliser would come, and manager Godden kept the same side which was so threatening until the 75thminute when Jackson replaced Rankine.

Shortly afterwards, Diamonds looked to have finally made the chance that would earn a draw, as Tom Shaw broke from midfield, and was alone with only the keeper to beat - this he did, but his shot hit the post and rebounded to safety.

The game then lost momentum, as the Saints did the professional job of slowing the game down, including three substitutions of their own, and many injury breaks, although only 4 minutes were added on at the end.

However, St Albans held on to win what had been an immensely entertaining game - but one which puts R &DFC into the relegation spots, with only Southport having a worse record. With Tamworth sealing a good win, any thoughts of an easy ride in the FA Cup must be firmly dismissed after the defensive display seen at Clarence Park today.

Full-time: St Albans 3 – 2 Rushden & Diamonds

Reporters MoM: Lee Tomlin (responded well to Tony Godden's threat to take him off in the first half)

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The text on the site reads :

 

Halifax Town secured a third consecutive home Conference win with a 4 v 1 victory over St Albans at The Shay. But, although the final score may look emphatic, the visitors caused The Shaymen problems throughout the 90 minutes.

Chris Wilder has severe injury problems and his squad was short of the services of Steve Haslam, Jake Wright, Gus Uhlenbeek, Ryan Sugden, Steve Torpey and Andy Campbell as well as Greg Young who is on loan at Northwich. So, it was another reshuffle and it paid dividends again.

In a bright opening a Tom Kearney free kick was palmed out by former Boston United goalkeeper Paul Bastock to Danny Forrest but his shot from close range sailed over the bar and Matt Doughty's dangerous cross just eluded Nathan Joynes.

St Albans were lively and pacy, a through ball found Elliot Benyon but Craig Mawson flew off his line to block the Strikers first effort but Benyon tucked away the rebound despite Rob Atkinson's attempts to clear on his own goal line.

Town tried to force their way back into the game but the final pass was never decisive enough to break down a defence that offered plenty of space to operate in. Martin Foster shot tamely at Bastock but Town soon levelled through the unlikely source of Centre Half Atkinson. Kearney's free kick was punched away by Bastock and Atkinson was on hand to shoot home from 8 yards out to register his first ever goal in senior football.

Atkinson saved Town with a great tackle and The Shaymen had an amazing escape in the 37th minute. Ben Walshe beat two defenders on the right and his cross was nearly turned into his own net by Doughty. Mawson saved and Adam Quinn and Doughty both got timely blocks in to prevent the visitors taking the lead for a 2nd time.

Kearney shot wide before Lewis Killeen set up Joynes in first half injury time but his shot failed to hit the target and the first half ended all square at 1 v 1.

Tom Davis had the first chance of the second half for St Albans blazing over from 25 yards after Mawson punched a corner away.

The Shaymen took the lead on the hour mark. There was much derision on the South Stand when the referee awarded a free kick despite Joynes skilfully beating two defenders on the left. But, this decision proved belatedly popular as Atkinson bundled home Kearney's near post free kick for Town's second and his own second goal of the game.

Chris Senior replaced a tiring Kearney who had been ill during the night then Shane Smeltz replaced Joynes who hadn't trained all week. In between Ben Walshe fired narrowly over from 25 yards as St Albans reminded Town of their threat.

Danny Forrest's shot from a well worked free kick was deflected inches wide then Smeltz scored his second goal in his Halifax Town career. A poor free kick by keeper Bastock fell to Smeltz just past the centre circle. The Kiwi pounced, held off a couple of challenges and scored with a right foot shot from 15 yards.

Not to be outdone, fellow substitute Senior got in on the scoring act. From a St Albans attack Town broke at pace. Foster found Smeltz and his cross field ball found Senior who advanced into the penalty area before finishing clinically. The celebrations were something to behold and a perfect answer to those who ridiculed him last week.

A 4 v 1 victory will give the team added confidence heading into next Saturdays FA Trophy tie at home to Hyde United.

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Exeter City Official Site http://www.exetercityfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10436~949098,00.html

 

City's illness-ravaged side travelled to Hertfordshire for an encounter at struggling St Albans, backed by a large and raucous band of supporters. With Adam Stansfield the latest victim of the flu bug sweeping the club, Bertie Cozic was drafted into the side to offer support to Jamie Mackie up front. Three further changes were made to the side that started the Boxing Day defeat at Weymouth, with Carlisle, Woodards and Todd in place of Taylor, Ada and Richardson respectively. The discarded trio were on the bench alongside Moxey and Rice.

Key to the proceedings from an early stage was the rain, which quickly began to lash down making playing conditions at first tricky and then nigh-on impossible in the second half. Both sides failed to really get into any kind of rhythm early on, Mackie repeatedly offside at one end while City's defence quickly snuffed out any threat from the home side.

Both sides created a few chances as the half went on, Bastock having to be alert to deny Challinor, while on two occasions St Albans flashed efforts just wide - the second of which the striker really ought to have done better but in fairness he looked as if he was surprised the ball had reached him after it cleared Woodards, and he could only nod the ball down and wide.

After the largely forgettable first half it was apparent that conditions had deteriorated rapidly into the second half as the monsoon conditions continued. City came out for the second half several minutes before St Albans, and this obvious fervour brought about an early spell of pressure leading to the first goal. Jamie Mackie burst towards the box, and was upended inches outside for a free kick. Wayne Carlisle spotted a gap in the wall vacated by a St Albans defender, and hammered home through this gap to send the travelling army wild.

City continued to press, but with conditions noticeably worse at the end they were attacking it was difficult to press home the advantage - one cross-shot appeared to be heading goalwards but stuck in the mud in the goalmouth.

At the other end St Albans caused problems, but nobody could have expected an equaliser - the ball was sent across the area to Hann, completely unmarked, and he was able to fire home comfortably past a stranded Paul Jones.

Paul Tisdale sprung into immediate action. Jon Challinor was clearly struggling in the conditions and was duly replaced by Dean Moxey. However, it looked academic as surely the Ref would abandon the match with the deluge continuing - Paul Bastock in the St Albans goal in particular was not impressed with the decision to play on, and the play became farcical as players could barely kick the ball in parts of the pitch.

Late on a further substitution saw Jon Richardson thrust on as a makeshift striker in place of Bertie Cozic, who had been booked and was looking in grave danger of seeing red. This proved an inspired move as Rico had a big hand in City's late winner. A cross from the right was flicked on by Richardson, but the danger looked over. However, Dean Moxey beat Paul Bastock to the ball, and from an impossible angle managed to tuck it home. There was more than a hint of offside too about the goal, but the goal stood and City were in raptures again.

There was still time for St Albans to force an effort or two on goal, but for the most part City held on well. The reaction of the players as the final whistle blew was very telling - to come away with a victory was not only an achievement given the squad illness and the conditions, but was also vital in raising morale and keeping City in the promotion hunt.

The effort and workrate was a joy to watch, and every City player can feel they contributed to a great victory.

 

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