Pre-Season Friendly Harpenden Town 2 St Albans City XI 1 HARPENDEN Town put in a strong performance against a St Albans City XI managed by Steve Castle last Thursday. City included winger Rod Hicks, who has since made his Blue Square South debut

Pre-Season Friendly

Harpenden Town 2 St Albans City XI 1

HARPENDEN Town put in a strong performance against a St Albans City XI managed by Steve Castle last Thursday.

City included winger Rod Hicks, who has since made his Blue Square South debut for the club at Worcester City, and gave a run out to right back Lee Protheroe who also made his first-team debut on Monday at Worcester. Youngsters Tegana James, Alex Olcot, Hamza Twomey and James Archer, all with Blue Square South experience, and former London Colney and Barnet attacker Harry Hunt were in the City starting XI, along with powerful defender Tobi Jinadu who impressed in a brief stint at Clarence Park against a Watford XI two days earlier.

Hosts Town had the best of the opening few minutes as Chris Gregory was put into a good position but his shot ran wide and Iaian Turkentine almost forced the ball over the line from a Jonathan Roe corner a few minutes later.

St Albans settled into their slick passing game and took the lead when the speedy Rod Hicks crossed for Tegana James to net from close range.

Captain Andrew Saul and Tony Golder defended well for Harpenden to ensure they did not fall further behind and they regrouped before half time.

Adam Baletta played a fine 40-yard ball to the head of Town striker Chris Gregory, who beat City goalkeeper Chris Adams but saw his effort bounce off the bar. As the half came to an end. Harpenden pressed forward and on 44 minutes new signing Leigh Wooldridge reacted to a loose ball in the City box to fire Town level.

The second half saw many changes to both line ups but the tempo and quality did not drop as both sides went for the win. Town enjoyed a sustained period of possession and after striker Ali Collins had a couple of half chances, a cross-field ball by right back Ian Shaw released Brad Marney and he calmly slipped the ball past Adams to put Town deservedly ahead.

Some hard tackling from James Hardy and Rob Gilham in the remaining period ensured Town recorded a notable victory.

Harpenden Town: Christou, Baletta, Golder Saul-Capt, Dawes, Wooldridge, Turkentine, Roe, Gregory, Rees. Subs used: Brown, Shaw, Armitage, Gilham, Doonan, Hardy, Beazley, Marney, Collins.

St Albans City XI: Adams, Protheroe, Olcot, Archer, Jinadu, Cartwright, Hicks, Hunt, Eames, Twomey, James, subs: Leon, Powell, Finn, Payne, Mortimer.