Report: Farnborough 1 St Albans City 2

Back at the Easy As HGV Stadium for a League fixture for the first time in just under a month, Spencer Day’s Boro were searching for their third win of the season in The Vanarama National League South.

There was little action to report on in the opening twenty minutes, until Referee Samuel Read decided to point to the spot in favour of St Albans City after the visitors’ Tafari Moore got the better of full-back Freddie Grant before falling into the penalty box. Farnborough protests were that contact was made outside the box, but appeals to the Officials fell on deaf ears. Striker Joe Neal sent goalkeeper Jack Turner the wrong way and tucked the penalty into the bottom right-hand corner.

St Albans City had their tails up and came close to doubling their advantage on 32 minutes after good work from Zane Banton picked out George Morrall on the edge of the box, but the resulting shot trickled wide of Jack Turner’s right-hand post.

Having already been cautioned on 36 minutes for a foul on visiting right-back Devante Stanley, Farnborough were reduced to ten men on 41 minutes when winger Michael Fernandes was shown a second yellow card for bringing down the same man to halt an attack.

A tame shot from Munashe Sundire from distance in first half stoppage time was comfortable for Jack Turner, as the half-time whistle blew.

HALF TIME: Farnborough 0-1 St Albans City

Boro Manager Spencer Day was unimpressed with his sides first half showing and made double substitution at the interval, with midfielder Sam Deering and striker Liam Ferdinand making way for young duo Oliver Pendlebury and Jonathon Page.

The first chance of the second half arrived on 48 minutes when Devante Stanley stood up a cross to Joe Neal inside the box but the opening goalscorer couldn’t add to his tally as he got underneath the header which flew over the bar.

Ten men Farnborough claw their way back into the game with an equaliser on 51 minutes. Centre-back Kevin Lokko played a ball over the top which allowed left-back Jordan Norville-Williams to square the ball to striker Hisham Kasimu who bundled the ball home from close range, while colliding with away goalkeeper Michael Johnson.

St Albans City regained the lead on 71 minutes from a counter attack from a Farnborough corner, with Joe Neal’s right wing cross unintentionally met by the foot of defender Kevin Lokko who turned the ball into his own net.

Boro went in search of an equaliser once again and into the final ten minutes had a penalty appeal turned down when St Albans City centre-back Callum Adebiyi, who was already on a yellow card, jumped with his arms in the air and made contact with his right hand to deflect the direction of the ball into the path of a team-mate, but the Referee waved away appeals.

Ian Allinson’s visitors defended well and held on to their lead to record their third win in The Vanarama National League South this season.

Meanwhile, ten men Farnborough huffed and puffed but left empty-handed and now look to bounce back when Chelmsford City visit the Easy As HGV Stadium on Tuesday (27 September).

FULL TIME: Farnborough 1-2 St Albans City

Att: 630