ST Albans City manager Steve Castle hailed the attacking power of his team after they brushed aside Basingstoke Town on Saturday. Captain and top scorer Lee Clarke came into the side in a midfield role, with recent signings Paul Hakim and Akanni Sunday Wa

ST Albans City manager Steve Castle hailed the attacking power of his team after they brushed aside Basingstoke Town on Saturday.

Captain and top scorer Lee Clarke came into the side in a midfield role, with recent signings Paul Hakim and Akanni Sunday Wasiu both among the goals. Castle also had impressive Oaklands prospect Hamza Twomey on the bench alongside striker Simon Martin and veteran former Premier League player Jonathan Hunt. The boss said: "We look very formidable going forward at times. I am getting a barracking that we should have scored more goals and I agree. We have been a team struggling to get goals but we put together some great pieces of play. Paul Hakim scored with a fantastic finish and I am pleased for Sunday getting off the mark. He gives us something different to the other players we have.

"The midfield dominated. Luke Thurlbourne and Lee Clarke were superb. I think Lee enjoyed it. I shook his hand afterwards and he had a great big smile on his face. I think he will get a good few goals from there. It is how I played, coming from deep and you can get into areas where you are not picked up."

Castle hopes it is a good time to face Lewes with the league leaders faltering at Braintree Town on Tuesday to lose 3-0, and the Saints buoyant following two successive crushing wins. Five points dropped in two games for Lewes has handed Eastbourne Borough the initiative in the race for the title and Saints will be confident of adding to the misery at the Dripping Pan on Saturday. Castle said: "We have got to keep going, take each game as it comes, treating each game as a cup final and getting something out of each and every one. That includes Lewes. We need to keep winning. Five or six wins will do it.

"We have got the makings of a solid side. James Quilter is out again on Saturday but James Fisher looks like he could be back. Players have come back into the team with a point to prove like Lee Clarke and Scott Cousins and Hassan Sulaiman and Paul Bruce worked their socks off and contributed to a decent win on Saturday."

Taser Hassan scored a hat trick as St Albans City Saints recorded a stunning 6-4 win at Boreham Wood in the Central Division of the Conference Youth League on Wednesday, March 5.

Further goals from Inih Effiong, Jack Cartwright and Daniel Broux ensured the young Saints climbed off the foot of the table.

The more experienced St Albans City side continued their pursuit of the Midland Division title with a 2-0 win against Oxford United. Hamza Twomey made an appearance as a second half substitute and was restored to the 16 for the first team squad at home to Basingstoke Town on Saturday.