St Albans City surrendered a two goal lead on Monday as they went down to a 3-2 defeat at Billericay Town.

The Saints looked well set to claim all three points from the encounter after goals from Ralston Gabriel and David Moyo.

However, a red card for Harold Joseph and strikes from Scott Doe and Jake Robinson within the space of four minutes before half-time pulled Town level.

The turnaround was completed by Callum Kennedy with 66 minutes on the clock as City were left empty handed from a game which was there for the taking.

After a bight start to the match, City made their early pressure tell in the 22nd minute when Gabriel, who has impressed during the early stages of his City career, set up Moyo.

Gabriel then played the part of goalscorer six minutes before the break - converting from Ben Wyatt’s pass to seemingly put the Saints in control.

They would somehow conspire to go in level at the break, though, as first Doe and then Robinson found the net either side of Joseph being sent off to make it 2-2.

St Albans would never truly recover from the double blow just ahead of the interval and were on the back foot in a second period which saw the hosts take all three points.

City competed gamely with 10 men but were eventually breached when Kennedy netted the winner shortly after the hour mark.

Monday’s defeat, coupled with a 1-1 draw in City’s previous outing against Eastbourne Borough, leaves Ian Allinson’s men 18th in the National League South table.

The stalemate with Borough once again saw City drop points from a winning position as two frenetic first half minutes defined the clash.

Both sides looked to impose themselves on proceedings from the outset and City took the lead through Gabriel in the 12th minute.

The forward showed all his predatory instincts to latch onto a poor back pass from Tom Gardiner and score with a low finish.

It was all square just a matter of moments later and City were well within their rights to feel unfortunate to be pegged back when a free-kick took a wicked deflection to beat Dean Snedker.

The remainder of the game was played out in a competitive manner with both sides pushing hard for a go-ahead goal which never arrived.

With seven games gone this season, City are struggling to find form and have won just twice this term.

They sit four points above the drop zone but still have plenty of time to turn their fortunes around and make the play-off push Allinson will be expecting of them this term.

There first chance to do that arrives with the visit of Dartford to Clarence Park on Saturday and City know victory could see them climb the table considerably.

Dartford sit 11th in the table with 10 points to their name and come into the game on the back of a 2-0 win over East Thurrock United last time out.

Their form has been up and down as well this season and they have won just one of their last five league outings, a run of results which features three losses and a draw as well as the win over East Thurrock United.