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16.08.2008 at 15:00 Avenue Stadium Attendance : 490
Dorchester Town
1 - 1
St Albans City
Referee : M McCoy (Worthing) Blue Square South

Goalscorers
Jamie Mudge (14) Paul Hakim (10)
Opening squads
Gareth Stewart
Nathaniel-Annan
Jake Smeeton
Danny Clay
Patrece Liburd
Gary Bowles
Nick Crittenden
Kevin Hill
Ryan Moss
Jamie Mudge
Leon Osei
Paul Bastock
Hassan Sulaiman
Scott Cousins
Ben Bowditch
Ben Martin
James Quilter
Sean Ridgway
Paul Hakim
Simon Martin
Jonathan Hunt
James Fisher
Substitutes
Alex Browne
Darren Watts
Mitchell Nicholson
Ronayne Benjamin
Regan Coward
Tobi Jinadu
Lee Clarke
James Archer
Tom Youngs
Rod Hicks
Substitutions
Ronayne Benjamin -> Nathaniel-Annan (45)
Mitchell Nicholson -> Leon Osei (77)
Lee Clarke -> Simon Martin (66)
Rod Hicks -> Sean Ridgway (81)
James Archer -> Hassan Sulaiman (90)
Yellow cards
Gary Bowles (37)
Nick Crittenden (86)
None.
Red cards
None None.
Match report
With three wins from their previous three visits to the Avenue Stadium St Albans City have good reason to possess a soft spot for Dorchester Town but that love affair was tainted on Saturday as the Saints winless start to the season was extended to a third match as the spoils were shared after a tame Blue Square South encounter.
Two goals inside the opening 14 minutes suggested that a lively tussle was in store but after an entertaining opening 45 minutes the football became as uninviting as the premature autumnal conditions.
City welcomed Lee Clarke to the fold for the first time this season and the returning City captain, a 66th minute replacement for Simon Martin, almost stole all three points in added time when charging down a clearance by keeper Gareth Stewart only for his shot from a virtually impossible angle by the goalline to come to rest in the side netting after clipping the back of the near post.
Whilst City’s early season preparations have been hindered by injured Dorchester’s are on the verge of being ruined. Manager Shaun Brooks has lost four players to long term injuries already this season and the Magpies boss must have feared the worst when right back Nathaniel Peprah-Annan suffered a shoulder injury just before the interval. Fortunately the defender was cleared to return next week when the shoulder was popped back into place in the dressing room.
Dorchester began in positive mood but on ten minutes conceded their first goal of the season and what a gem it was as Paul Hakim ended a run of seven league games without a goal. Sean Ridgway, standing midway in the home half, played a short ball to Jonathan Hunt who turned swiftly and slid a fine ball out to the left to Scott Cousins.
The City left back picked out Hakim with a low ball inside and with a slick exchange of passes with Simon Martin Hakim was clear of the Magpies defence and with great composure went to the right of Stewart before planting the ball low into the vacant goal.
But City’s lead was held for just four minutes until Nick Crittenden arrowed and excellent ball between Cousins and James Quilter for Jamie Mudge to get behind the Saints backline and clip his first goal of the season low to the right of the advancing Paul Bastock.
Dorchester survived a scare on 17 minutes when Hunt latched onto a loose ball following a James Fisher free kick only for his shot to be blocked but roll kindly to Sean Ridgway’s whose effort was also charged down. Town had a tense moment when Stewart spilled a Hunt free kick but the danger was quickly cleared.
Just prior to the half hour Hunt clipped a teasing low left footed inswinging free kick into the goalmouth that was allowed to bounce through to the keeper when the ball should have been attacked with greater venom by the visitors.
With the play switching from end to end Bastock saved bravely at the feet of Ryan Moss with Cousins completing the clearance while a wonderful move involving the impressive Jake Smeeton and Kevin Hill deserved a better finish than the scuffed effort wide that Mudge applied. Mudge, however, was more impressive when taking a pass from the excellent Danny Clay only to be denied again by Bastock.
City took until the 34th minute to win their first corner and almost regained the lead two minutes later when Stewart parried a fine effort from Ridgway with the keeper spreading his body well to deflect from goal Quilter’s close range follow up.
Eight minutes from the break Town defender Gary Bowles escaped with just a yellow card for bringing down Hakim after misjudging a long kick by Bastock, Fisher drilled the resulting free kick well over the home goal. City again went close when a low ball across the home goal by Hakim was just too long for Simon Martin and Hunt.
But Hunt was wasteful in first half added time when Hakim’s square ball across the penalty area was struck too high by the talented midfielder. Going in level at the interval would have been a disappointment to the home supporters as Brooks side had a deceptively strong wind and constant drizzle to their backs.
Unfortunately for the hardy Saints followers who battled through nightmare traffic jams en route to the match City, too, failed to use the conditions to their advantage as the second half quickly petered out tamely.
Even so, Dorchester again started strongly with Moss crossing deep to Mudge whose header inside to Crittenden was struck wide of the City goal. An impressive Saints move on the hour saw Hunt twice involved and it was Hunt who ended the move with a curling shot from 20 yards that Stewart caught in comfort.
City were almost handed a gift on 66 minutes when a long clearance by Bastock was headed clear only for Town midfielder Hill to head the ball back into his own penalty area but straight to Hakim who squandered the clear chance by shooting wide of the exposed Stewart.
A minute later Hassan Sulaiman drilled a good ball into the goalmouth but once more it eluded Fisher and Clarke. Hill again had problems with his heading, this time at the opposite end of the pitch, when putting a free header over the City goal.
Ten minutes from time the game, which had been in danger of dying on its feet, burst into life when Smeeton intercepted a Ben Martin through ball and sent Mudge away. Bastock, some 15 yards from goal, did well to block the strikers low drive and was relieved to see Mitchell Nicholson’s ambitious first time follow up from 30 yards dip just over the crossbar.