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27.10.2004 at 19:45 Woodspring Stadium

Attendance : 272

Weston Super Mare

3 - 0

St Albans City

Referee : Andy Bennett (Okehampton) Conference South

Goalscorers
Jonathan French (10)
Matthew Rose (81)
Marc McGregor (89)
None.
Opening squads
Ryan Northmore
Lewis Hogg
Stephen Jenkins
Lee Jarman
Billy Clark
Matthew Rose
Jonathan French
Michael Hayward
Adrian Mings
Marc McGregor
Mark McKeever
Mel Capleton
Dean Hooper
Scott Cousins
Ben Martin
Chris Zoricich
Adam Parker
Ranbir Marwa
Lee Clarke
Thomas Beech
Ben Walshe
Chris Seeby
Substitutes
Bradley Thomas
Paul Hunt
Mark Cherry
David Gilroy
Ricky Hodge
Wesley Jackman
Richard Thomas
Miguel De Souza
Darren Sarll
Adam Smith
Substitutions
David Gilroy -> Adrian Mings (61)
Bradley Thomas -> Michael Hayward (68)
Mark Cherry -> Lewis Hogg (80)
Wesley Jackman -> Mel Capleton (53)
Miguel De Souza -> Thomas Beech (61)
Darren Sarll -> Ranbir Marwa (79)
Yellow cards
Matthew Rose (39)
Stephen Jenkins (68)
Adam Parker (39)
Thomas Beech (54)
Miguel De Souza (79)
Red cards
None None.
Match report | Preview
Five years after he denied St Albans City a trip to Wembley by leading Forest Green Rovers to victory over the Saints in the semi-final of the FA Trophy, Frank Gregan, now manager of Weston Super Mare, contributed to Steve Castle’s downfall by handing the departing City boss the 27th defeat of his 48 league game tenure.
Castle leaves Clarence Park possessing the poorest record of any manager to have been in charge of the Saints for more than 40 league games but with just a modicum of good fortune at a wet and blustery Woodspring Park last Wednesday St Albans could have collected a rare Nationwide South point.
City, with Adam Parker replacing Castle in midfield and Lee Clark in for Richard Thomas, faced a daunting opening 45 minutes as the Somerset club sought to maintain their unbeaten home record boosted by a near gale force wind that drove them towards the impressive North Stand behind Mel Capleton’s goal.
Although the Seagulls had by far the better of the half they failed to build upon Jonathan French’s fine opening goal on ten minutes that saw him cruise through the heart of the City defence and fire past Capleton after an excellent exchange of passes with the abrasive Matthew Rose.
By that time Adrian Mings had already put a free header wastefully across the face of the goal and on the stroke of half time French was remarkably thwarted from point-blank range by Capleton who saved magnificently to his right but other clear chances were hard to come by on the sodden surface.
The Saints had just a couple of half chances; Tom Beech scooped wide a good ball from Chris Seeby while Lee Clarke’s barren run continued with home keeper Ryan Northmore saving at his feet. The second period, with the floodlight pylons occasionally wavering in the strong winds, was a different story as City dominated despite losing Capleton to a recurrence of his long-term thigh injury.
But before City got into their stride Mings squandered two clear chances to finish them off, the second though saw Dean Hooper, who otherwise was in good form, get away with what appeared to be a trip from behind on the Seagulls striker.
Once on the offensive City, with Ben Walshe showing up well down the left, looked a constant threat. Beech took a pass from Parker and shrugged off two defenders before seeing his shot blocked by Northmore and moments later Walshe shot tamely wide following a cross from Hooper.
Northmore fumbled a corner from Ram Marwa and was relieved to see the ball whacked clear after it rebounded goalwards off Rose. City thought they had drawn level on 70 minutes when Seeby drove the ball home but the referees assistant had long since flagged Walshe offside.
The home goal led a charmed life through several skirmishes following Walshe crosses but fate dealt the Saints a savage blow nine minutes from time when Lee Jarman nodded down a Mark McKeever free kick for Rose to score from the edge of the box with a shot which deflected off Darren Sarll.
A two goal margin flattered Weston but worse was to come for City in the 89th minute when Jackman ran out of his penalty area to deal with a long ball by Rose but only achieved clown status as the ball bounced over him and he dived despairing at it as Marc McGregor – a member of that Forest Green side - nipped in to seize possession and walk home his tenth goal of the season.

Report by Dave Tavener
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