City end season on a high with eventful Saints victory
City ended the season on a high this afternoon with a 2-1 win over St Albans City in an eventful meeting at Twerton Park. The visitors came into the match needing a victory to keep alive their outside play-off hopes but, like the midweek game at Welling United, it was City who controlled the contest for long periods. They should have taken the lead after just six minutes when Antoine Semenyo was felled by Kiangebeni in box but Matt Richards saw his penalty kick saved by Snedker. Despite this blow City continued enjoy the majority of possession and deservedly opened the scoring on 32 minutes when Tom Smith unleashed a stunning 25 yard shot that flew into the top corner of the net. Andy Watkins was denied by a smart block by Snedker four minutes later but St Albans grabbed an undeserved equaliser right on the stroke of half-time when Banton drove the ball past Luke Southwood. The second half began more evenly as both sides saw half chances come and go. The Saints missed the best opening on 67 minutes, Merson slicing wide of an open goal from Banton’s cross. Ten minutes later City won their second penalty of the game when Watkins was tripped by Sendles-White. Richards again took the repsonsibility, this time sending Snedker the wrong way. Southwood then produced a stunning save from Lucien’s free-kick but from the resultant corner Richards was harshly adjudged to have handled to ball and the referee pointed to the spot for a third time. However, Southwood capped his 50th and (probably) final game for City to keep out Merson’s well-struck spot-kick. Watkins should have made it 3-1 after great work from man-of-the-match Semenyo in stoppage time but it mattered little when the final whistle blew seconds later.
