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05.12.2000 at 19:45 Northwood Park

Attendance :

Northwood

3 - 4

St Albans City

Referee : Martin Ebbage Full Members Cup

Goalscorers
None Gary Wraight (72)
Chris Piper (84)
Mark Buchanan (o.g.) (87)
Gary Ansell (90)
Opening squads
Richard Hurst
Mark Rooney
Francis Birch
Richard Goddard
Ryan Moran
David Pratt
Chris Piper
Gary Wraight
Gary Ansell
Lee D Harvey
Spencer Knight
Substitutes
Andy Adebowale
Garry Cook
Lee Doherty
Substitutions
None Garry Cook -> David Pratt (36)
Andy Adebowale -> Garry Cook (64)
Yellow cards
None None.
Red cards
None None.
Match report
With their most disjointed performance for several months, St Albans City teetered on the brink of defeat at the home of Ryman League Division One side Northwood on Tuesday night before hitting back with an astonishing three goal salvo in the final six minutes of their 2nd Round Full Members Cup tie to chalk up an eighth consecutive away victory.
Up until the amazing fightback City had very much played second fiddle to a more than useful Northwood side who, on this evidence, are a far better outfit than the 20 point deficit they have on leaders Thame would suggest. City went into the game with mixed emotions, their performance at Bashley was outstanding but the club had been dealt a body blow by their expulsion from the Herts Senior Cup and for much of Tuesday's encounter they resembled a side with its thoughts elsewhere.
Northwood went ahead after just 17 minutes when leading scorer Lawrence Yaku rose at the back post to plant a downward header from Mark Hook's cross past City keeper Richard Hurst. Yaku tested Hurst again on 33 minutes as the Woods continued to dominate with some impressive football. Even so City should have gone in level at the interval, Chris Piper fired a free-kick comfortably over from the edge of the penalty area and City's top scorer this season, when freed by Mark Rooney and Gary Ansell, slid his 43rd minute effort wide as keeper Paul Riordan rushed from his goal.
Woods deservedly increased their lead on the hour when Gary Issott crossed from the left and as the City defence stood off Yaku stooped forward to head home his 23rd goal of the season in just 27 games. Two minutes later Steve Hale, no slouch with 20 goals in 22 games prior to this one, latched onto a long kick from Riordan but just failed to keep the ball in play after knocking it past Hurst.
Although still failing to work as a cohesive unit, the Saints showed signs of turning the game around with a long range effort from Gary Wraight which just cleared the bar while a precise cross from Piper was headed against the woodwork by Spencer Knight who got more involved the longer the game wore on.
The deficit was reduced on 72 minutes in stunning fashion as a Richard Goddard throw-in was headed away by Gary Williams but only as far as Wraight who cracked a thunderous 22 yard angled volley past the static Riordan. But City's comeback looked to have been repelled in the 75th minute when appeals for offside went unanswered as Hale ran through to slide the third Northwood goal wide of Hurst.
Still City refused to accept what appeared to be inevitable and in the 84th minute Piper added to his collection of spectacular goals as he side stepped one defender before beating Riordan from 25 yards with a beautiful curling effort high into the top corner of the goal. Three minutes later Piper was again involved as the ball headed for the same corner of the goal but this time it was Woods defender Mark Buchanan who had the misfortune to claim the goal as his attempted sliced clearance from Piper's low cross looped over the keeper and into the goal.
As extra time loomed the Saints pulled one more rabbit out of the hat with Knight laying the ball off to Francis Birch, his deep cross was met by the incoming Ansell whose excellent header eluded Riordan's groping fingers and nestled just inside the keeper's left hand upright.

Report by Dave Tavener
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