The St Albans City fans provided the tree but it was Bromley who gave their fans as early Christmas present at the Fortress Stadium.
The Saints travelling support brought the holiday spirit with them as they held aloft a Christmas tree behind Bromley’s goal, but Bromley left with the points. Moses Ademola came off the bench to score the only goal of the game as Bromley extended their winning run to nine games. For St Albans, it was another game of what could have been. The final pass was too often astray and they paid dearly for it. They will instead have to wait until the Boxing Day game with Hemel Hempstead to provide was Christmas cheer.
Joint managers James Gray and Graham Golds recalled Darren Locke for his fist league action since returning from injury, while Cameron Lancaster started up front alongside John Frendo. Down the left, Lee Chappell started on the wing with Nathan Green in behind.
The hosts, riding high after an eight game unbeaten run, had the first chance and should have taken a ninth-minute lead. Damian Scannell whipped in an in-swinging cross from the right and Louis Dennis, running on to the ball, volleyed over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
It was the only real chance of a drab first half, which wasn’t helped by the dreadful state of the pitch at the Fortress Stadium. The Saints had their moments, most notably when Green ran the length of the pitch and set up James Comley for a cross, but too often the final ball was missing or the wrong decision made.
Lancaster’s budding partnership with Frendo was put on hold for another week as the striker limped off mid-way through the first half after being upended by Rob Swaine. His replacement, David Keenleyside, almost set up Locke with his first touch but the defender couldn’t reach the ball.
The second half wasn’t much of a spectacle for the fans. St Albans attacked with more intent but Bromley substitute Ademola provided the only bit of real quality. Receiving a ball over the top, he cut inside and fired past Joe Welch.
Comley had the City fans on their feet in the dying moments as he chased down an errand back pass and blocked Seb Brown’s clearance only to see the ball bounce off the top of the bar, and with it, the Saints’ chance of any points.
St Albans City line-up: Joe Welch, John Kyriacou, Lee Chappell, Darren Locke, Omar Beckles, Ian Gayle, Sam Corcoran, James Comley, Nathan Green, John Frendo, Cameron Lancaster. Subs: Danny Green, Jack Green, David Keenleyside, Tom Coulton, David Longe-King.
Bromley line-up: Seb Brown, Ugo Udoji, Joe Anderson, Reece Prestedge, Rob Swaine, Jack Holland, Damian Scannell, Danny Waldren, Jordan Robertson, Adam Birchall, Louis Dennis. Subs: Callum McNaughton, Paul Rodgers, Ali Fuseini, Moses Ademola, Jamie Slabber.
Attendance: 1,006
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