ANDY Edwards feels the loss of key players such as Luke Thurlbourne, Wasiu Akanni-Sunday, who scored his first goal for Colchester United in League One on Saturday at Swindon Town, and Paul Bruce has been a major factor in the poor points return this term

ANDY Edwards feels the loss of key players such as Luke Thurlbourne, Wasiu Akanni-Sunday, who scored his first goal for Colchester United in League One on Saturday at Swindon Town, and Paul Bruce has been a major factor in the poor points return this term. The City assistant boss said: "With the squad we had last season we thought we could be right up there but we have lost players that we didn't envisage losing and it has been hard to replace them.

"We lost Rodney Hicks to injury on Saturday, we lost Paul Bruce from last season and Akanni-Sunday Wasiu who we haven't been able to replace. Hassan Sulaiman got injured and he is a big player for us. It is very hard to keep unearthing the likes of Sunday who nobody wanted at the time."

Saints were comfortably defeated by Chelmsford City at Clarence Park on Saturday with the 2-1 score not doing to justice to the ease with which the newly-promoted side took the points. City boss Steve Castle was disappointed with the way his side went about taking on the big spenders. He said: "Had we got anywhere near the performances that we have had recently, such as the Worcester City performance, then we would have given them more of a contest than we did.

"We had a few chances at the end but it was a deserved victory for Chelmsford City. They are a good team and you have only got to look at the bench to see what sort of finances they have got available. On the day they were better than us. The goal we scored was very, very little consolation and it would have been very unjust had we got anything out of it.

"The form of Hassan Sulaiman has been fantastic and losing him at the 11th hour was a massive miss for us. We then went with Rodney Hicks who had to go off."

Subject to the number of bookings, St Albans City Supporters Club are hoping to provide coach travel to the away match against Team Bath on Saturday, September 6, departing Clarence Road at 10am. Fares are £16 for Adult Supporters Club Members and £10 for Junior Members. Anyone wishing to book a place can do so at the Club Shop on Saturday when City take on Eastleigh or on Tuesday when City host Bishop's Stortford. Alternatively telephone Peter Knock on 01727 847484 or Ian Bangs on 07733 381874.