St Albans City MWY 2 Hanwell Town 2

St Albans City’s Midweek Youth’s 100% runaway start to the Allied Counties season was finally halted by a determined Hanwell Town side, with honours shared in a 2-2 draw.

St Albans City’s U18s travelled to Barnet Copthall Stadium on Monday 21 November and maintained their 100% league record with an emphatic 8-0 win over Kentish Town.

With three personnel and four positional changes from the traumatic injury time 4-3 Cup win against Aylesbury, Saints were quick out of the blocks when Matt Taylor volleyed home in just the second minute. This was followed with four further goals in the first half from Marino Savva (2), Tremayne Charles and a debut goal for Harry Carr. In the second half Saints made three quick substitutions before Tremayne scored twice more including a penalty to complete his hat-trick. James Shaw completed the rout with the pick of goals, a spectacular 35 yard lob over the keeper’s head after he had strayed from his line.

The win means Saints continue to dominate the East Division, scoring 41 goals and conceding just 5 in 8 league matches played so far.

City: O’Connell; Zazzera, Scott, Davies, Blow (Galloway); Carr, Shaw, Taylor (Yapp); Lee-Baptiste (Parke-Jude), Charles, Hadji-Savva

St Albans City’s Midweek Youth team successfully negotiated a potentially tricky trip to North Greenford to notch up another 3 points and maintain their 100% league record in the Allied Counties League, East Division.

St Albans City's Midweek Youth U18s maintained their momentum at the top of the Allied Counties East Division with a commanding 3-0 victory over Kentish Town at Clarence Park.

With both sides bearing a 100% league record before the match, at least one team was going to be disappointed and from the kick-off the young Saints let their intentions be known with four shots at the visitors’ goal in the first 10 minutes. Despite having a further dozen shots at goal in the first half City – headers from centrebacks Davies and Wroe, shots by Zazzera, Savva, Bailey and Lee-Baptiste they just couldn’t beat Kentish Town’s superb keeper, Ryan Moore, who had previously starred in their 3-1 defeat of Uxbridge. Finally when Elliot Bailey did beat Moore the ball rebounded off the post! At the other end of the pitch the attacks were rare but greasy conditions underfoot made it difficult for defenders, but when lightning quick Michael Nwanze raced down the wing keeper Will Conway did well in the city goal to tip the ball over the bar.

Midweek Youth Bubble-Burst

Thurrock 4 St Albans City Midweek Youth 1 (FA Youth Cup 1st Qualifying Round)

The young Saints' dreams of FA Youth Cup glory were deflated on Wednesday 21 September as they went out to Thurrock FC in the first qualifying round.

It was always going to be a tall order against an established academy team containing 3 players who currently train with the first team and 6 reserve team players, who only last season beat Leyton Orient before going out to Southampton 2-0 at St Mary's, but for the first 35 minutes it was the St Albans' youngsters who technically looked the more accomplished side. In this period St Albans held on to the ball well, harrying their older opponents and opened the scoring after winning a corner in the 20th minute. This was swung over by James Shaw to Joe Zazzera whose first tme shot was half-blocked into the path of Tremayne Charles and dispatched for his 4th goal in 3 games. It should have been 2-0 on the 35th minute when a second corner fell to Josh Davies in the 6 yard box but his hurried shot went past the post. As often happens from a potential 2-0 lead, Thurrock then ploughed upfield and their only shot in the first half gave them the equaliser to go in level at the break 1-1.