WEYMOUTH 0

ST ALBANS CITY 1

Iaciofano 45+1

FOR once Weymouth’s long-spoilt fans’ mood was to match the dismal weather as their team slumped to a third successive defeat in all competitions with a 1-0 reverse at the hands of a resurgent St Albans outfit who had begun the day bottom of the pile in the Vanarama National League South.

In driving rain the Terras failed to find any of the high tempo, attacking flair that their followers have become accustomed to as they were unable to find the net at the Bob Lucas Stadium for the first time in a league fixture since a 2-0 reverse at the hands of Frome Town in October 2017.

Saints got the all-important winner 20 seconds before the break when Joe Iaciofano got a touch on Zane Banton’s ambitious drive that appeared to deceive keeper Calum Ward and the home side never got into their stride after the break with Ben Thomson failing to hit the target with three of the best chances that presented over the 90 minutes.

There were three changes to the hosts’ starting XI from the side that bowed out of the FA Trophy last time out.

Straight into a starting berth came on-loan Exeter striker Joel Randall in place of Brett Williams who dropped to the bench.

Also making way were Stephane Zubar and Abdulai Baggie for Sam Sherring and Yemi Odubade respectively.

The home side looked sluggish and tentative playing into the wind during the opening exchanges.

Indeed the Saints were looking the more lively as Ollie Sprague found Iaciofano who fired over in the third minute and the Terras’ first chance did not arrive until 10 minutes later, when Josh McQuoid’s strike was blocked for a corner, from which Tom Bender got up well to clear.

Then, four minutes on, Ben Thomson ran onto a clever through ball but keeper Dean Snedker did well to prevent the striker from rounding him and the loose ball ran to McQuoid who could only find Snedker’s hands with an attempted cross.

Midway though the half Saints showed good combination play between Iaciofano and skipper Dave Noble that ended with Sprague bending a shot wide of Ward’s far post moments before the Saints’ Bender provided the major talking point of the half as he clattered into Brennan Camp.

Luckily for Saints, after much deliberation and with Camp receiving treatment, referee Sunny Gill frustrated the home crowd by only brandishing a yellow card to the offender.

And there was to be another let-off for Saints moments later when a fabulous long ball from Shaun Hobson picked out Thomson who, cutting inside, saw his close-range left-footer deflected wide for a corner from which McCarthy’s firm side-footed attempt was blocked out by Snedker.

Five minutes ahead of the interval Randall finally showed what he could bring to the team as he beat two defenders down the left side of the box but his pull-back from the by-line was cleared by Frankie Musonda.

However, the visitors were still creating chances of their own and their positive play warranted a goal which very nearly arrived in the 44th minute when Banton and Solomon Nwabuokei linked well before the latter teed up Iaciofano whose whistling drive had to be expertly tipped over by a flying Ward.

Alas, there was still time for Saints to fashion an opener which duly arrived on the stroke of half-time, albeit with a slice of good fortune.

Banton pulled off a neat turn on the edge of the area to create space for a shot that skidded off the surface, took a nick off Iaciofano before going straight through Ward who appeared to slip in the hazardous conditions at the most inopportune moment to complete a desperately poor opening half for Weymouth.

Weymouth fans must have convinced themselves at the break that their side’s performance would surely improve markedly in the second half but, strangely, that was not to materialise.

The hosts made an enforced change when Camp limped off seven minutes in to be replaced by Jordan Ngalo, then seconds later McQuoid dug out an inviting centre only for Thomson to send his free header well over the bar.

And from that moment at no point did Weymouth truly threaten to force a breakthrough with the Saints looking more likely to add to their tally.

Just past the hour Ward neatly gathered an Iaciofano drive just before the goalscorer combined with Nwabuokei whose shot was deflected wide for a corner.

The home side were then lucky to survive a mad scramble in their area that ended with Ward once again having to tip over another decent effort from Banton who was later thwarted by a first-class last-ditch tackle from Sherring when bearing down on goal.

Supposed strugglers Saints then really should have put the game to bed with two late chances but Munashe Sundire lashed over after being surprisingly teed up by substitute James Kaloczi who was in a far better position himself to score before Nwakuokei was foiled by the legs of Ward who, by now, had fully atoned for his first-half slip-up.

Then, even through five minutes of added time Weymouth failed to rally themselves for a late onslaught as the game ended in a comfortable win for the visitors.

Terras: Ward, Harfield, Wakefield, Sherring, McCarthy, Thomson, McQuoid (Williams 70), Odubade, Randall (Baggie 63), Camp (Ngalo 52), Hobson. Subs not used: Rees, Olumuyiwa.

St Albans: Snedker, Bender, Longe-King, Sundire, Iaciofano (Miles 69), Noble (Diedhiou 83), Banton, Nwanuokei, Fielding, Sprague (Kaloczi 78), Musonda. Subs not used: Clark, Bonfield.

Attendance: 833

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