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St Albans City 1
Hayes & Yeading Utd 0
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Despite a good defensive performance, Hayes and Yeading United were unable to unlock an equally stoic St Albans City defence and went down to a single first half goal.
Defences were on top for the first quarter of the game as neither side fashioned a chance until the 21st minute when St Albans took the lead. Tremayne Charles drilled home from close range following a goalmouth scramble during which Luke Bersey made a brave block on the line from James Kaloczi's shot. Immediately afterwards, they had a chance to double their lead as David Keenleyside fired in a low cross which Jarrel Gray did very well to divert over his own cross bar from right in front of goal.
St Albans took a stranglehold on the game as Richie Graham's free kick was headed onto the roof of the net by Charles and James Warrington made a smart save low to his right from Eliot Bailey's pile driver. United responded positively as Jonny Denton collected Seb Schoburgh's deep cross and fed the ball through to Brendan Cowell but his weak shot was comfortably gathered by Tom Coulton. Omar Mohamed's throughball put Denton beyond City's defence soon afterwards and he found Cowell at the back post but although his shot was firmer, Kaloczi was able to block it.
Just before half time, Keenleyside put Charles behind the defence but Warrington was able to twist his body to collect the ball just as it looked as though it had rolled past him.
The home side had the first effort of the second half as on 48 minutes, Graham crossed from the left onto Bailey's head but his looping header landed on the roof of the net. Full back Layne Eadie then got forward into a threatening position but fired just over from the edge of the area.
After a period where play became a midfield battle once more, Warrington made a fine diving save to keep out Bailey's curling long shot. Play quickly switched to the other end as Ross Seldon's slide rule pass put Schoburgh in but his first time shot went over.
United pressed for an equaliser in the closing stages. Seldon's deep cross found Callum Carlisle in space and he met the ball with a firm half volley only it found a well positioned Coulton. Seldon and Carlise then combined on the right to set up an angled shot for Schoburgh which Coulton blocked with his feet. However, the goal wasn't to come and in stoppage time, Dan Ailey had a great chance to seal it for St Albans but his curling effort flew just wide of the far post.
Report by Nick Bell.
United Man of the Match: Seb Schoburgh.
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