Ryman League Premier Division

AT a rain-lashed New Lodge on Tuesday night, a Richard Dunwell goal a minute from time sent St Albans City spinning to their third Ryman League defeat in four outings.

Ryman League Premier Division

AT a rain-lashed New Lodge on Tuesday night, a Richard Dunwell goal a minute from time sent St Albans City spinning to their third Ryman League defeat in four outings.

It was a cruel blow for City at the end of a scrappy encounter which saw both sides create plenty of chances and each handed a bizarre goal in front of an unusually muted crowd.

Kevin Mudd made two changes to the St Albans side which lost to Aldershot with Chris Piper and David Pratt coming in for Richard Goddard and Junior Samuels.

The changes certainly did not seem to do the side any harm as they made a positive start at a ground where they have yet to win a league match.

Inside the opening five minutes, both Richard Evans and Piper tried their luck from distance but fired well wide of the target though City had to wait only until the 14th minute before taking a fortuitous lead.

Danny Jones blocked a defensive clearance, Pratt quickly knocked the loose ball into the penalty area which the diving Gavin King appeared to smother before seeing it spill out of his grasp, leaving Piper with a simple chance to score for the third time in three successive away matches.

For a while, City looked comfortably placed as they played the ball around in some style but as the half wore on, the game became scrappy.

As in the Aldershot match, St Albans' lack of penetration became obvious, a situation which was highlighted by leading scorer Gary Ansell doing most of his best work out by the touchline.

At the opposite end of the pitch, City were solid at the back and, with some resolute defending, made the Billericay attack look very ordinary.

On the few occasions that the visitors' backline was breached, Laurence Batty looked confident in clearing things up.

Batty, whose handling in the wet conditions was exemplary, saved twice in quick succession from Dunwell just prior to the interval but Billericay looked a different proposition after the break as they upped the tempo considerably.

Within ten seconds of the restart, Town midfielder Joe Baker surged through the City defence and pulled the ball back for Dunwell who hit the woodwork and the home side maintained the pressure before responding with a couple of efforts from Ansell which King did well to cling onto.

However, the possibility of Mudd's side ending Billericay's eight-month unbeaten home record faded in the 66th minute courtesy of a dispiriting own goal.

There appeared to be little danger when Dunwell crossed from the right and Batty called for the ball but he was left flat-footed as Al-James Hannigan got to it first and sent a looping header just inside the near post.

Five minutes later, Piper helped the ball onto Jones who beat a couple of defenders on the edge of the penalty area before sending his vicious shot narrowly over the crossbar.

During the closing stages, both sides had the opportunities to sneak a win with Corey Campbell, Pratt and Jones all having chances to revive City's fortunes but increased activity around the City penalty area ended with Dunwell scrambling home the decisive goal, after 89 minutes, after Williams' shot had been deflected high into the air.

Tomorrow, St Albans welcome Sutton United to Clarence Park for a Ryman Premier fixture, kick-off 3pm.

St Albans City: Batty, Rooney, Campbell, Evans, Hannigan (Maynard 79), Adebowale (Moran 63), Jones, Piper, Pratt, Ansell (Samuels 79), Lyons.