Basingstoke Town 0 : St. Albans City 2
A goal in each half extinguished Town’s run of five unbeaten in the League as the Dragon’s showed little fire as they succumbed to fourth from bottom St. Albans.
Town Manager Frank Gray was frustrated that his side had performed poorly having played well to beat Woking and win at Bromley and find his men were not at the races on Saturday.
St Albans were a hard working and physical side getting to the second ball on more occasions than their hosts.
A good example of this was the opening goal, Town ‘keeper Simon Locke making a fine save to deny a Pelayo Gomez-Pico header but Inih Effiong was quickest to react and blast the ball into the net.
Town started with the same 11 that had won the two previous games but they simply could not find the form of previous weeks.
The visitors showed more desire and hunger and came with a plan to prevent the Dragons playing a passing game and starving the wingers who had been instrumental in Town’s recent success.
At times City’s physical approach crossed the line and referee John Scott offered the home side little protection when Ryan Frater hacked down Matt Pattison as he was storming into the St. Albans half. Frater escaped even a word from the referee having been booked 15 minutes earlier for a lesser challenge on David Pratt.
The visitors made a strong start with a chance inside the first 10 minutes and on 13 David Deeney had the ball in the back of the net but the celebrations were cut short with the assistant referee’s flag up for offside.
Town’s first decent move came in the 20th minute finishing with Rob Rice’s shot well wide. Peter Smith was a constant threat down the left for the visitors and one of his runs resulted in a miss hit cross that nearly went in at the angle of crossbar and post.
Town fought back with Pattison shooting straight at city ‘keeper Paul Bastock and wasted a free kick following Frater’s lucky escape following the foul on Pattison.
The hosts should have been in the lead just after the half hour when Bastock made a good save from Matt Warner following a fine cross from Jide Ogunbote. The rebound fell for Pattison who looked set to score but Smith did well to block.
As the ball pinged around the box the visitors were eventually able to clear their lines. Nine minutes later at the other end a similar situation developed with James Fisher finding Smith at the far post. Smith hooked the ball back and Locke made a decent save from Gomez-Pico’s header but the clinical edge of the visitors saw them take the lead.
Both sides went into the game in form having taken seven points out of the last nine so was always going to be a tough encounter. The Dragons came out and made a positive start to the second half.
At the break Ogunbote made way for Steve Laidler. It was the visitors who had the first chance of the half when Fisher and Smith combined again with the latter firing well over the bar from the formers cross.
Town almost levelled as the hour approached. With the mid-field and wingers stifled the home side had been limited to long balls forward over the top and one such long ball set Pratt away with a one-on-one with Bastock but the City ‘keeper was first to react and got to the ball ahead of the Town striker to clear the danger.
The home side were now enjoying a good spell of play. Warner got in a rare cross that the visitors managed to get clear and Nathan Smart should have equalised a minute later following a fine ball from Jay Gasson.
But this was as good as it was to get for home fans as Pratt was forced off with a recurrence of his shoulder injury. And if that was bad enough just four minutes later City doubled their lead and were out of sight. Laidler lost possession and Effiong ran clear crossing to Smith who duly converted having gone close on several previous occasions.
Town could have gained a consolation goal in injury time but it had been a bad day at the office for the home side who had been out thought and outworked by their opponents.
The Dragons now must get back on track quickly with tough away games coming up at Dorchester and Hampton who are struggling below Town in the table and Staines visiting the Camrose on Tuesday, February 1 for a 7.45pm kick-off.
Along with the injuries Manager Frank Gray now has a headache needing to find replacements for Laidler and Tom Williams who will depart the Club on February 16 heading to Australia for a year.
Town: Locke, Rice, Gasson, Adams (sub Downes 81 min), Reynolds, Lake, Smart, Ogunbote (sub Laidler 45 min), Pratt (sub Draper 69 min), Pattison, Warner. Subs (not used); Finlay, Williamson
