BASHLEY 1 - ST ALBANS CITY 7

BASHLEY'S brave efforts in this season's FA Umbro Trophy were brought down to earth with a staggering thump, as they were comprehensively destroyed 7-1 by Ryman Premier Division St Albans City.

On a less than complimentary pitch, the visitors tore the Foresters apart from the first minute to the last.

The only Bash player to come out of the contest with any credit was striker Graham Gee, who at least fired a few hopeful efforts on the St Albans goal, and indeed grabbed their 90th-minute consolation effort.

Bash were on level terms in one of the most one-sided games anybody is ever likely to witness, for a mere three minutes.

Gary Wraight was adjudged to have been brought down inside the penalty area by defender David Goss and Gary Ansell drove the resultant spot kick home with venom to spearhead the massacre.

Ryan Moran and Garry Cook flashed headers inches from the Bash goal before the best move of the match, which included seven one-touch passes, ended with Chris Piper thumping home number two from just inside the box.

Barry Blankley's side were awarded three corners in quick succession, just before the break, the only period in the entire 90 minutes where they imposed any sort of pressure on their more illustrious opponents.

Nothing came of the corners however, and on the stroke of half-time Ansell should have netted his second and St Albans' third after a terrific run from Spencer Knight.

Knight played a perfect ball to Ansell but he ballooned his effort from close range. Knight enjoyed a second half where he almost single -handedly brought the New Foresters crashing down to earth.

However, it was substitute David Pratt, son of the famous Tottenham Hotspur player John, who began the second-half onslaught.

Pratt laid the ball on for Piper to miss-hit his shot, but he still managed to squeeze the ball between the lunging Dean May in the Bash goal and the inside of the post.

Ansell grabbed his second goal two minutes later and a thrashing of the highest calibre looked very much on the cards.

Paul Masters lost possession for Bash in the middle of the park and Wraight took full advantage as he burst forward before rifling a deflected right-foot effort beyond May for their third goal in a manic five minutes. By now it was just a case of how many and sure enough goal number six arrived with 20 minutes still remaining.

Lee Harvey provided the cross for Knight to sneak in a deft header for the goal he so richly deserved.

Pratt slammed home number seven after the offside trap was comfortably beaten.

Bashley: May, J Diaz, Darnton, Robson, Goss, James (T Diaz 65), Puckett (Elley 65), Young (Liddon 65), Gee, Andrews. Unused subs: Beck, Sim.