Frustration was the overriding feeling for James Gray after St Albans City followed up a fantastic win against Basingstoke with a drab loss at home to Farnborough.

The Saints were second best for the majority of Monday’s game as Spencer Trethewy’s side relentlessly pressured them into mistakes.

City had the chance to earn a result as Joel Nouble and Steve Wales hauled them back on level terms in a frantic 20 minutes but Phil Page struck late to hand all three points to Farnborough.

Speaking after the game, Gray described the last two performances as ‘Jekyll and Hyde’.

“I felt really positive going into the game; we want a good warm up and I really felt we were going to be on the front foot – it just didn’t work for us,” he said.

“We didn’t move the ball quickly enough, didn’t get close to seconds and too many were off their games.

“Too many times we were second best and to gift them the goals we did, it gave us a mountain to climb. We gave ourselves a foot up, put them on the back foot, got two goals and it looks like they’ll only be one winner and then we gave them a crap goal. Three or four times it could have been avoided but it ends up in the net and it’s goodnight Vienna and we’re all going home disappointed.

“To lose the game in the manner we did, after getting back in it, was disappointing and frustrating.”

There were positives to come from Monday’s loss: loanee Nouble scored his first goal and Steve Wales is back among the goals – his last came on October 18 at Weston-Super-Mare.

“Nouble was superb,” said Gray.

“His goal lifted him and he looked a difference player. He was a handful and a threat, which is good because we’re not blessed with many strikers so if he can do that for 90 minutes then we’ll be well pleased with him.”

Speaking about Wales, he added: “He’s been unfortunate to be out of the side but a couple of weeks rest has probably done him good. He’s always going to score goals so hopefully he can kick on from here and get more.”