St Albans feel the Brunt as City hotshots grab two
Bath City made it six wins in seven games as they blunted free-scoring St Albans at a packed Clarence Park.
Non-league Day attracted the Saints’ highest crowd of the season, but the majority went home disappointed as they failed to net for the first time this season, as an outstanding defensive display helped earn Jerry Gill’s men three deserved points.
St Albans made their intentions clear from the offset with two early efforts on target but City looked a threat themselves, with Tom Smith and James Morton having shots charged down, before they took the lead on nine minutes.
Anthony Straker was allowed to ascent towards the edge of the penalty box and given room to shoot from distance. His effort appeared to be drifting wide, but Ryan Brunt reacted quickest to stretch out and slide the ball past Dean Snedker.
The Romans nearly benefited from a similar move soon afterwards, this time Adam Mann’s skewed shot nearly latched onto by Smith, and they doubled their lead just after the half-hour.
A devastating move from one end to other, started by Frankie Artus, concluded with Smith teeing up Mann, who cut inside and unleashed a ferocious shot from 20 yards. Its power proved too much for Snedker, whose two hands could only help the ball into the back of the net.
Ralston Gabriel, on the back of seven goals from three games, was superbly shackled by the Bath backline. In a rare opening, he chested down for Sam Merson, but the forward meekly sliced straight into the hands of Ryan Clarke.
Such was City’s dominance at the back that Gabriel was replaced by David Moyo with 25 minutes remaining.
At the other end, a speculative effort from Smith deflected off Lewis Knight and wrong-footed Snedker, who was grateful to see the ball trickle wide.
The Saints’ last real effort on goal arrived with 12 minutes remaining. Having done wonderfully well to escape a collision of players, Kiangebeni skipped to the byline and pulled back for the onrushing Tom Bender, but the full-back shot woefully over.
Substitute Joe Raynes nearly put the icing on the cake with a third City goal. Having linked up well with Mann, he was well thwarted by Snedker, who threw himself in the way of his close-range strike.