St Albans City joint manager James Gray refused to call out his players after a “pedestrian” performance against the league’s bottom side, Bashley, on Monday nigh at Clarence Park.

The Saints were heavy favourites heading into the game but only managed a brace from John Frendo, despite the visitors being reduced to 10 men within the opening minute for a handball on the goal line by Adam Flint.

Frendo dispatched the penalty and doubled his tally early in the second period.

It was City’s eighth consecutive win in the league and moves them up to six in the Calor Southern League Premier Division.

After the game, Gray said: “People expected us to score six, seven, eight goal tonight but I said before the game that I’d be happy win 1-0. Give me three points and that’s as much as we mustered up tonight.

“After they went down to 10 men they parked the bus and we found it hard to break them down. We didn’t move the ball, we were pedestrian, we had no tempo and didn’t play out wide; we played into their hands.

“It didn’t happen for us but I won’t be too harsh. We won 2-0, kept a clean sheet and got three points.”