AFTER a dismal 83 opening minutes at Clarence Park last night (Tuesday, October 1), St Albans produced a stunning come-back, and two late goals, to pick up a point against Purfleet and move a point clear at the top of the Ryman Premier League after second-placed Aldershot Town's surprise defeat at home to Harrow Borough.

When substitute Colin Simpson notched Purfleets second goal with just seven minutes remaining the Saints looked on course for a second successive Premier Division defeat, but a smartly headed goal by Jon Challinor and a scrambled effort by Leon Townley deep into injury time proved sufficient to end the Fleet's three match winning run at the Park and St Albans could, quite unbelievably, have collected all three points as Challinor also headed against the woodwork and put another effort just over while Rob Smith was denied a seemingly clear penalty after being pulled down by John Purdie.

Having been virtually unchanged during their seven match winning run at the start of the season, City again made changes on Tuesday with Townley returning in place of Corey Campbell, Beckett Hollenbach coming in for the suspended Steve Castle and Miguel De Souza standing in for the injured Gary Crawshaw.

Purfleet wasted no time in threatening the home goal with Paul Linger striking the crossbar inside 25 seconds from a free kick while Townley almost put through his own goal with a header over the advancing Richard Wilmot which went narrowly wide. Citys sole early attempt on goal saw Alex OReilly save in comfort a Hollenbach header and it was hardly a big surprise when Purfleet took advantage of the space they seemed to find with ease to go ahead on 16 minutes through George Georgiou at the second attempt after Wilmot had blocked his first effort.

As the game moved on City had a couple of spells during which they played the ball around in style but it took a good block by Wilmot from a Bowes volley to keep the Fleet at bay on 75 minutes but eight minutes later Purfleet looked well on course to move within three points of the Saints when Simpsons shot from the edge of the penalty area went through Wilmot's hands and trickled its way into the York Road goal.

Within a minute though City were back in contention as Challinor headed the ball across O'Reilly for his second goal of the season following outstanding work down the left by Rob Kean. Suddenly a different game was to be had as Challinor headed just over from an Oakes cross and Fleet defender Purdie was booked after hauling down De Souza as he shaped to shoot after O'Reilly had fluffed a clearance.

St Albans storming finish appeared destined to end in failure as Challinor headed against an upright from a tight angle but two minutes into added time Ryan Moran slipped the ball wide to Simon Martin who supplied an excellent cross from which Townley, with the aid of a slight deflection, bundled home his first Ryman League goal for the club from eight yards.

St Albans City: R.Wilmot, R.Moran, D.Naylor, L.Townley, D.Brown (C.Campbell 87), J.Challinor, S.Oakes, B.Hollenbach, S.Martin, M.De Souza, R.Smith, subs, R.Gould, G.Sippetts

Purfleet: A.OReilly, J.Purdie, J.Southon, D.Chandler, M.Goodfellow, C.Edwards, P.Linger, C.Akurang (C.Simpson 69), G.Georgiou (D.Smith 80), T.Bowes, M.Lawrence (L.Allen 74), subs, R.Gould, S.Pashley

October 2, 2002 11:00