Ian Allinson was left ‘disappointed and frustrated’ at not getting a last-gasp penalty against Wealdstone.

Winger Rhys Hoenes hit the ground deep into injury time with City players, fans and management alike all screaming for a penalty.

However, referee Ian Fissenden decided the former Royston Town man had made the most of the challenge and booked him for diving.

It meant St Albans had to settle for a 2-2 draw in their second Vanarama National League South game, despite leading on two occasions.

Allinson said: “I felt it was a foul. The lad has hung his leg out and Rhys has gone over. But is it his reputation now because he has won so many penalties that he must have dived?

“That has to be taken out of the game straight away because for me there was contact, for me he pushed the ball past the fellow and for me he was going to get a cross in.

“The referee and linesman were 20 yards away and haven’t given it. We have to accept it but it’s difficult and frustrating because it’s the last minute and we it may have been a winner.”

He did admit a challenge from Ben Martin in the first half was lucky not to be punished with a yellow or even red card so overall was happy to come away from Grosvenor Vale with a point.

“I think in the end we have to be [happy with the result],” he said. “I felt they caused us problems in the first half with balls in behind us that we couldn’t quite cope with.

“But in the second half we were totally in control and when we went 2-1 up I thought we’d go on and win the game.

“Their goalkeeper has made a world class save from Louie [Theophanous] to stop it being 3-1 and within two minutes they’ve gone up the other end and scored.

“If we get the third goal its game done and we can manage it better. But we’ve got to learn from that.

“We were 2-1 up and still trying to get a third. But sometimes you’ve got to take what you’ve got and shut up shop and maybe we should have closed it out.

“When you’ve got the pace we’ve got it’s exciting and we’re trying to be brave and on the front foot but at times we’re perhaps a bit too brave for our own good.”