St Albans City 3-2 Ford United

ST ALBANS CITY impressed against Ryman Premier League newboys Ford United on Saturday to open the season with a victory but a determined fight-back from the Essex side was almost enough to claim a scarcely-deserved point.

Saints went ahead on 15 minutes after Jon Challinor played the ball into the feet of Simon Martin, who used his strength well to turn and shoot leaving keeper Alexis Visarelis helpless.

With Scott Oakes, Steve Castle and Challinor pulling the strings in midfield and Gary Crashaw, already looking like one of the buys of the season, up-front, City looked capable of scoring at will and the second goal duly arrived on the half-hour after an exquisite piece of skill and finishing from Hamid Barr.

Barr picked the ball up on the left-hand touchline, left his marker for dead and fired the ball from an acute angle past Visarelis.

Ford did pull one back from Warren Hackett on the hour but a Miguel De Souza strike reinforced Saints' two goal cushion although Jay Devereux did score late on for Ford to set up a tense finale for City.

t Albans City: R.Wilmot, R.Gould, B.Hollenbach, L.Townley, R.Moran, S.Castle (R.Evans 75), S.Oakes, J.Challinor, S.Martin (M.De Souza 66), G.Crawshaw, H.Barr. Subs: D.Naylor, G.Sippetts, D.Roberts

Ford United: A.Vizarelis, J.OSullivan, G.Kimble, W.Hackett, P.Salmon (B.Willis 79), G.Poole, D.Allen (B.Wood 46), J.Devereux, C.Rose, P.Adolphe (B.Woodards 79), A.Aransibia. Subs: K.Hoddy, A.Marsh

August 19, 2002 10:30