ALLINSON IS BEAMING AS SAINTS TAME TIGERS
ST ALBANS CITY moved back into the play-off places as they sent Truro City to their first defeat at Treyew Road since August.
The visitors were worthy winners against an out-of-sorts home side, who suffered what was only their third defeat in their last 18 outings, to drop a place to fourth in the table.
Second half goals from Sam Merson and substitute Charlie Walker, both as a result of individual home errors, were enough to clinch the three points, with Tyler Harvey’s stoppage time penalty really coming too late to affect the final outcome.
Saints boss Ian Allinson told The NLP: “I am really pleased. We could have been four or five up at one stage with some of the chances we missed.
“We needed the points after a bit of a poor run in the league and it has been a good day.”
It was the visitors who began the better with Tom Bender, Rhys Murrell-Williamson and Zane Banton all coming close.
But the closest either side came to a goal was right on half-time, when Harvey’s free-kick hit the inside of the post before bouncing clear.
Buoyed by the let-off, St Albans continued to take the game to the White Tigers after the break with the excellent Solomon Sambou having his shot deflected just wide and Merson squandering two great openings.
It was Merson, son of Paul, who broke the deadlock in the 67th minute when he was left unmarked on the right of the area and his low drive squirmed through the hands of the unfortunate goalkeeper Tom McHale.
If that goal was partially self-inflicted, worse was to follow nine minutes from time when home skipper Ben Gerring’s attempted backpass when straight to Walker who calmly made it 2-0.
Truro were given a glimmer of hope when substitute Chris Todd was fouled in the area by Tarik Moore-Azille.
Harvey duly dispatched the penalty for his seventh goal of the season.
White Tigers boss Lee Hodges refused to get too downhearted, saying: “There is no need to go over the top. It is not the end of the world and the most we deserved from today was a draw.
“You are going to lose games and we have been on an unbelievable run. They are a very good team, but we let ourselves down a bit today defensively.”