ST Albans City caretaker boss Steve Castle was less than impressed with the defending which gifted slick outfit Aldershot Town progress into the last eight of the Setanta Shield. Having knocked our Torquay United under former boss Dave Anderson, Saints we

ST Albans City caretaker boss Steve Castle was less than impressed with the defending which gifted slick outfit Aldershot Town progress into the last eight of the Setanta Shield.

Having knocked our Torquay United under former boss Dave Anderson, Saints were unable to repeat the trick of beating Blue Square Premier title chasers. From the fourth minute when the City defence went AWOL, allowing Kirk Hudson a simple opener for the Shots, the match was never a contest.

The second goal on 19 minutes was presented to Rob Elvins when Nick Eyre failed to collect a simple ball which Ben Martin had left and the third goal on the stroke of half time was a tap in for Elvins after a poor corner kick from Reading midfielder Scott Davies, on-loan with Aldershot, was not cleared. Following the game, Castle said: "It was another catalogue of silly errors. We put in two different performances. In the second half at least we showed they weren't as invincible as we made them look in the first half. You are never going to win a game if you make the kind of elementary mistakes we are making at the back. The lads know they are under performing.

"People don't want to get their head on the ball and we have players who are 6ft 4in plus. They are leaving it for each other. Ryan Frater has not missed a header in the second half but it is too late by then."

Saints continue their desperate search for only a second home league win of the campaign when they take on Newport County at Clarence Park on Saturday. Lee Clarke, Paul Bruce and Paul Hakim will return to the squad but defender Hasim Deen and striker Simon Martin are injury doubts. Castle is expecting a tough task. He said: "We have to dust ourselves off and go again. We will be playing against a team in our league who are flying. Newport have got some good quality players and it will be another tough game. We are going to do it the hard way. There is an element of fear at home and we have to get that out of us. We have got to change it, it is as simple as that."

l Defender Hasim Deen has won the Supporters Club Player of the Month award for January. He will be presented with his award prior to the clash with Newport County at Clarence Park on Saturday. Deen faces a battle to be fit for the game after suffering a dead leg which forced him out of the cup tie with Aldershot Town after just 12 minutes.

The latest Bill Nicholson 100 Club winners are: £100 number 43 Ian Rogers, £50 number four Claire Shanley, £25 number 46 Vanessa York.