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St Albans 2-4 Eastleigh: Match Report

By on July 30, 2014

Eastleigh overcame Conference South side St Albans City 4-2 on Tuesday. Following games with Bournemouth, Swindon and Crawley they raced into the lead after Ben Wright converted a penalty. A deflected equaliser by Danny Green pulled things level before Jack Midson added the third, and an own-goal concluded the action after McAllister tapped in Eastleigh’s fourth.

Conference South champions Eastleigh traveled the relatively short journey to St Albans in their penultimate pre-season friendly of the summer. The Saints were coming off the back of a 5-0 defeat to Watford on Saturday, and were back at Clarence Park looking to put things right on a warm weekday evening in Hertfordshire.

The home side started with an almost unchanged starting XI to the one put out by James Gray and Graham Goulds against the Hornets. James Comley started in midfield in place of the impressive Steve Wales, top scorer in his this year’s friendlies,
while goalkeeper Tom Coulton retained his place between the sticks. Welch, tough, remained unwell.

In an evenly contested opening 20-minutes only a tame shot from Warren McBean had tested Lewis Noice in the Eastleigh goal. But the game sparked into life when Chris Todd cut inside within the penalty area and was subsequently clipped by defender Tom Ward. Referee Anthony Serrano gave the penalty, which was coolly tucked away to the keeper’s right by Ben Wright.

Going behind seemingly spurred City on and they came up with the goods just moments later. In an attempt to redeem himself Ward darted down the left-hand side of the pitch to divert a cross towards his teammates lurking at the back post. This was only headed away to the edge of the box and was duly met on the volley by Danny Green, yet unfortunately for the Spitfires the strike was cruelly deflected into the net. Noice was left stranded.

Former Barnet shot-stopper Coulton was forced into action once more and produced a brilliant diving save to deny Jack Midson. Up the other end everything McBean was doing was proving fruitless as the trialist miraculously missed a free header from six-yards out. That concluded events in the first-half as both could walk down the tunnel happy with their respective performances.

The Hampshire outfit will be playing fifth tier football for the first time in their 68-year history when they face Nuneaton in two weeks time. However, there proved no gulf in class until 57 minutes in. After Warren McBean squandered an outstanding chance to go in front a swift counterattack, it finished off by Jack Midson, who slotted the ball into the net. This was followed by a third goal from the away side as Tony Lee guided a Michael Green corner towards the top right hand post.

Chances followed for both sides – Tom Ward hammered the ball towards his own goal after a mazy run by Craig McAllister, but on hand was Coulton yet again. An opportunity was also presented to Elliott Buchanan, yet he could only force a save from substitute keeper Ross Flitney.

The scoreline was heading towards “thrashing territory” once more as McAllister drifted into to the danger zone undetected and converted a Stuart Fleetwood cross with ease. An own-goal by an Eastleigh defender restored some pride for the yellows before the referee ended the game early due to floodlight failure.

League 2 Stevenage await for St Albans in their last friendly before a Herts Charity Cup game with Ware gets the season up and running. As for Eastleigh, they continue their star studded schedule with Northampton.

About Conor de Smith

Aspiring sports journalist. Editor for VAVEL and writer for Football Every Day.