Looping header resurrects Saints (25.09.04)

THE fans certainly got their money’s worth in an entertaining 3-3 draw at York Road on Saturday afternoon, in a game which lacked nothing but quality.
With both teams struggling to find form, the visitors got an early break, when United’s centre-halves collided with each other just nine minutes into the game and had to be taken off – Dugdale to the dressing room and Jennings to the hospital, with a nasty cut.
After a quick reshuffle, the Magpies got back into the game and deservedly took the lead, when Kelvin McIntosh slid a sublime ball into Craig O’Connor’s path, who rifled the ball into the back of the net.
But two minutes later it was all square, when Lee Clarke swivelled and shot past Michael Watkins from six yards out.
O’Connor then drew a fine save from Mel Capleton a minute later, before Barrie Matthews capped an entertaining and hectic passage of play by whipping a superb dipping volley just wide of the visitors’ left-hand post.
With both defences leaking like sieves, chances continued to flow at either end, with United regaining the lead just before half-time, Chris Elsegood arriving at the far post to bury O’Connor’s cross, after clever work from Jamie Cook down the right flank.
Elsegood then sealed his successful nomination for man of the match award by clearing an effort off the line at the other end in injury time.
United probably deserved their half-time lead, particularly in light of that disastrous start.
However, five minutes after the break St Albans were level once again, when Ben Walshe curled a corner to the far post for Ben Abbey, who drew a good reaction save from Watkins with a point-blank header.
Unfortunately, the loose ball fell to Chris Zoricich, who poked the ball past the prone keeper from two yards. Undeterred, the Magpies claimed the lead for a third time on 56 minutes, Steve Hale getting his head to a hopeful ball forward, and Matthews nipping in behind the defence to smack it through the keeper from close range.
It was clear the game still had goals left in it – it was just a question of who would get them.
O’Connor thought it was him when he powered a shot goalwards on 70 minutes, but defender Richard Thomas somehow got a touch on it and deflected the shot up onto the bar, with the keeper on walkabout.
But it was St Albans who finally struck to earn themselves a point, when substitute Ben Martin picked out Adam Parker on the penalty spot, who guided an unopposed header over Watkins and into the back of the net.
Both sides had half-chances to nick a win in the dying minutes, but a draw was probably the right result.
Unfortunately, it is a result which leaves both teams hovering near the foot of the table, with everything still to do.

FACE OFF: Steve Hale blocks an attempted clearance at York Road on Saturday. Ref: 86544/21