UNITED were left rueing missed chances, but City were counting their blessings as they stayed top of the Division on Saturday.
The Magpies started off just as they had left off against Chesham United.
After only three minutes there was an almighty goalmouth scramble and both Adrian Allen and Matt Glynn had close-range shots blocked out by desperate defenders. 
Just two mintes later, United's giftted midfielder Matt Glynn took advantage of a defensive slip and found himself one-on-one with Richard Wilmot, but the former Scunthorpe keeper blocked the shot with his legs.
The pressure was kept up and, on eight minutes, Allen should have done better, after slipping clear of the defence, before firing his shot high and wide of the goal.
City's first real attack of substance should have produced more, when, on 19 minutes, a free-kick into the box was met by central defender Corey Campbell, who sent his header woefully wide.
On 56 minutes City's USA under 19 international Beckett Hollenbach hit an upright and three minutes later City finally broke the deadlock.
A strike from Jon Challinor on the edge of the area seemed harmless enough until Campbell got a touch to send it past Barnard.
 United were restricted to sporadic attacks after that, but the nearest they came was on 62 minutes, when Lawrence Yaku fired a looping shot just over Wilmot's bar. 
United threw new signing Mark Nicholls on in an attempt to get a point back, but even the former Chelsea star could find no way of breaking down a resolute City defence.
 Overall a disappointing result for United but they will take heart from the fact they again matched a side destined for a high position come May.

Teams:
Maidenhead United: Barnard, Webster, Jeffrey, Kelly, Croxford, Elsegood, Ashe, Allen, Yaku, Glynn, Ulasi:  Subs: Channell, Cook, Morley, Nicholls, Connor.
St Albans City: Wilmot, Gould, Hollenbach, Townley, Campbell, Castle, Kean, Challinor, Martin, Crawshaw, Barr. Subs; De Souza, Naylor, Evans, Cook, Roberts.