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30.12.2006 at 15:00 Clarence Park

Attendance : 1314

St Albans City

1 - 2

Exeter City

Referee : Darren Cann Nationwide Conference

Goalscorers
Matt Hann (60)
Wayne Carlisle (50)
Dean Moxey (89)
Opening squads
Paul Bastock
Dean Cracknell
Tom Davis
Gary Elphick
Matt Hann
Lee Clarke
Elliot Benyon
Damien Batt
Rob Norris
Magnus Okuonghae
Chris Seeby
Paul Jones
Danny Woodards
Billy Jones
Matthew Gill
Chris Todd
Jamie Mackie
Jon Challinor
Bertrand Cozic
Rob Edwards
Wayne Carlisle
Paul Buckle
Substitutes
Ranbir Marwa
Simon Martin
Ricky Perks
Lee Flynn
David Theobald
Martin Rice
Andy Taylor
Patrick Ada
John Richardson
Dean Moxey
Substitutions
Ranbir Marwa -> Dean Cracknell (90)
Simon Martin -> Rob Norris (90)
Dean Moxey -> Jon Challinor (61)
John Richardson -> Bertrand Cozic (83)
Yellow cards
None. Bertrand Cozic (71)
Red cards
None. None
Other statistics
10 Shots 9
4 Shots on goal 6
2 Offsides 12
0 Corner kicks 5
20 Free kicks 18
0 Penalties 0
Match report

Dean Cracknell attempts to play the ball during the monsoon conditions


On a surface better suited for sailing it was, perhaps, most fitting that a ‘sub' should score the decisive goal in farcical conditions at Clarence Park on Saturday as Exeter City clinched a Conference National double over a St Albans City side that could not be faulted for effort in a - given the conditions - surprisingly entertaining affair. But, sadly for Colin Lippiatt's Saints, entertainment does not mean points.

Occasionally it can be hard to have sympathy for the referee but it was possible to understand why Darren Cann let the game go the distance. Just when the rain was at its most spectacular an order was given to open the gates (not floodgates) but almost immediately the downpour ceased. Now, while this may have improved visibility, it was too late to save what was underfoot and with players slipping, passes often going no further than the circumference of the ball and other passes suddenly stopping dead in their tracks, it was clear that the proceedings should have been brought to a halt.

But, surely, the clinching point to call it off was that conditions were not equal at either end of the pitch. Ever since Sir John Blundell Maple kindly donated the ground, and entire park come to that, to the city of St Albans in 1894, the pitch has sloped towards the Hatfield Road end. This has meant that whenever there is inclement weather ‘the bottom goal' is always under water while the top end, although not quite Tropical, is far drier and offers greater assurance underfoot. And, unfortunately for City, the conditions did play a part in the deciding goal, which confirms the view of most of the players of being the correct one, that the game should have been abandoned.

Anyhow, enough of the whingeing. The Saints made one change from the side beaten on Boxing Day by Stevenage Borough with Rob Norris stepping in for the injured Paul Hakim. Norris made a surprise return to the club in midweek after spending the past ten weeks with Kings Lynn. It was evident that the pace was quicker than the 19-year old was accustomed to but he has the ability to quickly adjust and, although maybe not on his preferred right side, should give the side balance following the recent departure of Ben Walshe.

Magnus Okuonghae again partnered Gary Elphick at the heart of the defence in place of Dave Theobald and gave an outstanding display.

Exeter, showing four changes to the XI beaten at Weymouth earlier in the week, opted for a 4-4-1-1 formation with 21-year old Jamie Mackie spearheading the attack. Inside two minutes Mackie latched onto a through ball in from the right by Wayne Carlisle but ran it off for a goal kick as Paul Bastock rushed from his line. It was one of the few occasions when Mackie, who looks a more than useful prospect, was not caught offside and his eagerness to get ahead of those in front of him (Exeter had a dozen offside decisions go against them) suggests that he had spent the past few days at the sales.

St Albans also had an early opportunity when a long free kick by Okuonghae found Elliot Benyon in space but his looping header didn't have quite enough power to beat Paul Jones who had strayed just a couple of yards too far from his goal. Another long ball from the towering Okuonghae was headed away but collected by Lee Clarke who laid it wide to Matt Hann. The cross from the right side of the pitch towards the Hatfield Road goal was top class but City were unable to take maximum benefit from it as Exeter skipper Chris Todd got in an excellent defensive header.

Another promising move saw Clarke and Benyon try to power their way through the middle but both were thwarted. Todd was less impressive when trying to win a penalty for a dive that was ideal for the conditions but not the sport while Mackie tested Bastock with a marvellous turn and shot across goal that the City keeper did well to beat away.

Midway through the half Bertrand Cozic sent former Saint Jon Challinor into the box but again Bastock was equal to the midfielder's clever flick with his right foot. Another threatening Grecian attack broke down when Tom Davis made vital tackle as a path opened for the lively Mackie. City ended the half with two decent chances, the first saw Dean Cracknell, who revelled in the conditions, glance a header wide from a Clarke cross but the clearest opening of the lot came the way of Norris. Damian Batt and Benyon linked up to find Hann down the right and his deep cross looked perfect for the incoming Norris but maybe he was put off as Clarke came close to him as his header was both weak and lacking direction as it bounced harmlessly to the right of Jones' goal.

The rain had started some 30 minutes before kick off and by the time the second half got underway the water was starting to make an impact on the pitch, but the Grecians don't come from a coastal city for nothing and were out on the pitch a good couple of minutes before the Saints prior to the second half. Certainly the 477 visiting spectators were made of hardy stuff as they stood shivering and almost drowning on the open terrace, the next 45 minutes went some way towards easing their discomfort.

Two minutes after the restart a low drive from Billy Jones deflected wide off Okuonghae for the first corner of the match, it came in what was a positive start to the half by Paul Tisdale's boys. On 50 minutes Mackie, somewhat easily it must be said, won a free kick off Elphick 20 yards from the Saints goal. It was not the only free kick referee Cann blew for minimal contact and given the frequency with which his whistle was heard it is not difficult to understand how he dismissed two Stevenage players in their recent draw with Oxford United. The Saints defensive wall looked secure but a player on the right hand side of it (no names!) broke away and Carlisle saw an opening into which he struck a fine shot that bounced and beat the diving Bastock to his right on its way into the goal. It was the 50th time the City defence had been breached this season in 25 league games.

With that goal the heavens really did open and it was not difficult to feel some sorrow for the players and unprotected Exeter spectators alike, although being a goal behind slightly nullified such feelings towards the latter as they made their presence felt with some fine vocal support that was well matched by Albanians from under the Coca Cola stand.

Within two minutes City were nearly level as Clarke and Chris Seeby combined on the left with Davis then turning superbly and slipping a fine ball into Clarke's path only for the City captains shot to lack the required power to really test Jones. Exeter hit back with Mackie pulling a brilliant save out of Bastock who, diving low, stretched high to claw away the striker's shot. From Billy Jones half-cleared corner, Carlisle tried to loop the ball, left-footed, over Bastock but shot comfortably over.

That miss was equalled at the other, drier, end when Clarke won a soft free kick that Batt, after a lengthy delay, struck high over the York Road goal. By now the game had become farcical, and, while the possibility of players getting hurt was perhaps only slight, there can be no denying that the play was being badly disrupted by the quickly expanding and ever deeper puddles. That said, it did make for amusing viewing although it is hard to imagine either bench seeing it that way.

Bastock did his bit to indulge in slapstick pantomime entertainment when rushing to within 15 yards of the halfway line to clear the ball down the City left. All was going well until he stubbed, not just a toe but his complete foot, into the sodden turf and gifted possession to Carlisle. The Exeter man tried to clip the ball past the embarrassed and stranded keeper but the ball struck Bastock on the arm, which was close to his body rather than outstretched, although neither the referee nor the nearside linesman noticed any offence.

City squandered a good chance on 59 minutes when Norris touched a pass inside to Benyon who had two good choices in either going it alone or slipping the ball through to Clarke. In fact, he went for option three; playing the ball wide to Hann whose angled drive was safely smothered by Jones. A minute later though and Hann was the toast of St Albans. Again Norris knocked the ball in from the left flank, it evaded Benyon but Hann, coming in from the right, drove a low shot across the sprawling Jones and in via the keepers right hand post for his second goal of the season - it was also Hann's 22nd goal in 108 games for the club putting him into third place on the goalscorers list of those players currently with the club.

Proof that proceedings should have been halted came moments later when an Exeter attack down their left ended with Mackie beating Bastock from a tight angle only for the ball to stop virtually on the goalline. Seeby was in swiftly to paddle the ball to safety. Any second now it seemed that Mr Cann would at least suspend the play if not terminate it completely - being from Norfolk one can only assume he enjoys life on the Broads and so on we went.

Both defences were facing an impossible task, back passes were an obvious risk while turning with the ball was also virtually impossible. As if to add to the thrills both defences still tried reach their respective goalkeepers with back passes, it was only the quick reactions of both custodians in sprinting from their goals to hack away the floating spherical white thing from outside the penalty area that prevented either attack from punishing such defensive lapses.

But the best chance during this spell came from proper, almost normal, football as a Seeby free kick ricocheted in and around the box before Hann put Benyon through only for the teenager - who started the afternoon by receiving the Saints Player of the Month award for November - to shoot, unusually for him, wide.

Okuonghae had a let off when his header from a high falling ball went straight to Cozic, the Frenchman shot quickly with the ball striking the City defender on the arm but, fortunately for the Saints, the referee decided it was a case of ball to hand.

Cracknell evaded three Exeter defenders in a small space as he bustled his way into the box and laid the ball off to Clarke whose sliced shot rolled harmlessly wide, and Cracknell caused the Grecians more problems on 83 minutes when his shot, from a Davis pass, forced Jones to dive to his right to save.

In the most appalling of conditions it was tragic for the lowly Saints that the magnificent effort they had put in - which was matched by the visitors - came to nothing courtesy of another 89th minute goal. An Exeter throw on the visitors right left Seeby with two players to mark, in attempting to shut down one the ball went to Carlisle with his cross flicked on John Richardson to beyond the back post. Batt attempted to let the ball roll out of play but there was little hope of that happening and as it sat in standing water Dean Moxey stole in strike the ball home from the tightest of angles.

Just over three minutes of added time was played but Exeter held out in some comfort as City slid a fifth consecutive defeat and their third in the Nationwide Conference.
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