Bishop s Stortford 2 (Lewis Smith 11, Danny Harris 41) St Albans City 0 James Ronayne at Woodside Park FIRST half strikes from Lewis Smith and Danny Harris gave Bishop s Stortford all three points in this Hertfordshire derby to leave City still looking

Bishop's Stortford 2 (Lewis Smith 11, Danny Harris 41)

St Albans City 0

James Ronayne at Woodside Park

FIRST half strikes from Lewis Smith and Danny Harris gave Bishop's Stortford all three points in this Hertfordshire derby to leave City still looking for their first point away from home this season.

Steve Castle recalled Luke Thurlbourne to City's starting line-up in place of Alex Bailey who missed the game through illness. There was also a place on the bench for new loan signing Craig Calver, who has joined from Southend on a month's loan.

City started brightly and with just four minutes gone James Fisher played Drew Roberts in behind the Stortford defence. He advanced into the box, cut inside his man and fired in a shot that Nicky Eyre touched onto the post and behind for a corner.

Paul Bastock was called into action for the first time with seven minutes gone, but the former Boston man easily held Danny Harris' low shot however Stortford din't have to wait long to break the deadlock.

A long ball over the top from Ben Bowditch found Lewis Smith in between James Quilter and Jamie Thurlbourne and the former Fulham man showed great class with a volley that flew across Bastock and into the opposite corner of the net.

Green won a free kick on the edge of the box but his effort from the resulting set play flew over the bar.

City went to sleep at the back and Harris was given the time to play a delightful ball across the face of goal but thankfully for City neither Bertie Brayley or Marlon Patterson could get on the end of it.

Stortford doubled their lead five minutes before the break. A cross into the City box caused confusion amongst the defence and Danny Harris was on hand to roll the ball into the unguarded net.

City's half was summed up when in injury time Gary Cohen got a cross in that found Darren Quinton unmarked at the far post but the midfielder's first touch was heavy and the Stortford defence cleared the danger.

City started the second half in the ascendancy but still failed to test Eyre with Roberts' weak shot that went wide, the closest City came to testing the Stortford stopper.

Quinton went close with a free kick from the right that hit the bar with Eyre back pedalling but City were lacking a real cutting-edge.

Stortford should have made it three when Smith's lofted ball found substitute Charlie Sheringham free at the far post but the striker dallied and Bastock was able to see off the threat.

As the game slowly edged towards its conclusion, Jamie Thurlbourne had a long range effort that Eyre collected at the second attempt.

This was City's third consecutive defeat on the road and that is something they are going to have to put right soon if they have ambitions of finishing higher than they did last season.

Bishop's Stortford (4-4-2): Eyre; Champion, Goodacre (c), Cooper, Wright; Harris (Jackman 80), Lette Jallow, Bowditch, Patterson (Dayton 57); Smith, Brayley (Sheringham 54).

Subs: R.Jones, Nicholls.

St Albans City (4-3-3): Bastock; L.Thurlbourne, Quilter, Frater, J.Thurlbourne; Fisher, Quinton, Shields (Calver 53); Roberts (Mortimer 80), Cohen, Green (Peters 80).

Subs: O'Donnell, Emery.

Referee: Tony Mason (Sidcup)

Att: 461

Man of the Match: Luke Thurlbourne