St Albans City’s play-off hopes took another bashing as another of the sides scrapping against relegation took all three points off them at Clarence Park.

Slough Town, who started the day 17th in the National League South table, left Hertfordshire with a 2-1 success, a lone penalty eight minutes from time all Saints could muster.

The loss rounds of a disappointing month for the Saints which has seen them amass just seven points from six games, and seen them lose to Hungerford Town and draw with Weymouth.

The opening 30 minutes of this one were lacklustre with both teams playing five at the back with three big centre halves and cancelling each other out.

Something special was needed to break the deadlock and that came 32 minutes in from the boot of Slough’s Scott Davies.

Devante Stanley gave away a tame free-kick on the right side of the penalty area and Davies stepped up to find the top left corner with expert precision.

Saints did look much brighter after conceding the goal though.

Joy Mukena forced a sharp save from Will Dennis with a header heading for the bottom corner and on the brink of half-time, Chay Cooper had a powerful shot from the edge of the area palmed away by the keeper.

The second half could not have started any worse for St Albans though as Slough extended their lead three minutes in, again because of a soft free-kick conceded. 

This time it was Michael Clark who gave it away, tugging the shirt of Tyrese Owen on the edge of the area.

Davies stood over it again but this time his effort went straight into the wall.

However, it rebounded into the path of Matt Lench and the former Hitchin man struck the ball perfectly on the half-volley into the bottom corner.

City left it late to mount their comeback, pulling one back inside the final 10 minutes.

Zane Banton was tripped inside the box and Jeffers stepped up to score his 23rd of the season.

It wasn’t to be though as Slough saw the game out well in the final minutes, with the one chance a speculative long range shot from Kyran Wiltshire which fizzed past the post.

 

St Albans City: Johnson, Mukena (Weiss 67), Clark, Adebiyi, Stanley, Blackman, Wiltshire, Moore, Cooper (McConnell 72), Banton, Jeffers.

Subs (not used): Sundire, Di Trolio, Neal.

Goal: Jeffers (pen) 82

Booked: Clark 47, Wiltshire 78

 

Slough Town: Dennis, Jackman, Bush, Dandy, Lench (Togwell 90), Obi (Walsh 83), Benyon, Goddard (Burgess, 90’), Davies, Eweka, Owen.

Subs (not used): George, Shubbar.

Goals: Davies 32, Lench 48

Booked: Eweka 25, Obi 65, Wench 86

 

HT: St Albans City 0 Slough Town 1