Louie Theophanous hit the only goal of the game as St Albans City grabbed an impressive 1-0 victory over Vanarama National League side Boreham Wood.

The City hotshot, as he did so often last season, finished with aplomb on 23 minutes for the first win of pre-season at a sweltering Clarence Park.

Picking the ball up wide on the left after a quick break, he cut in and fired just inside the near post from the edge of the box.

At first glance you would have said Sam Beasant, son of Dave, in the Boreham Wood goal, should have done better.

But on second viewing he was obscured by a defender.

It was still a special finish though.

The game as a whole had St Albans showed much more attacking intent than the Kings Langley, Watford and Biggleswade outings.

Beasant had to tip a Shaun Lucien effort behind and did the same with a Junior Morias free-kick.

Even after Theophanous had opened the scoring Saints created a couple more chances.

It wasn’t all one way traffic and James Russell made two excellent saves to deny Bruno Andrade twice.

The first, a full-length diving save from a free kick, was followed by a block when the Wood winger finally broke the offside trap.

Boreham Wood made five changes at the break with Saints just the one; Matt Ball departing with an ice-pack on his leg for Hoenes.

It wasn’t until 61 minutes had passed that City’s bench emptied.

That may have been a reaction to how the visitors had started the second period.

One of their newcomers Angelo Balanta hit an effort straight at Russell and then was denied by a superb last-ditch block by Tom Bender.

Sam Merson’s introduction again gave City renewed attacking impetus.

Twice the former Redditch and Biggleswade man used his chest to great effect but both times the end product was lacking.

From the second Rhys Hoenes skipped past a challenge and into the box but with the choice of either pulling it back to Merson or Theophanous or having a shot himself, he ended up hitting a defender.

Wood should have equalised inside the last 10 minutes.

Shaun Jeffers, with the goal at his mercy six yards out, somehow hit the post, the ball rolling back into the grateful arms of Russell.

City: Russell, Ngala (Trialist 61), Chappell, Rees (Green 61), Hill, Bender, Lucien (Whichelow 61), Ball (Hoenes 46), Theophanous, Morias (Merson 61), Thomas (Gibson 61)

Subs (not used): Trialist

Goals: Theophanous 23

Boreham Wood: Beasant (Smith 46), Nunn, Devera, Ricketts, Stephens, Paine, Moke (Balanta 46), Davis (Jeffers 46), Oyenuga (Shakes 46), Uchechi (Clifford 46), Andrade

Subs (not used): Coldicott-Stevens, Goodliffe

Goals:

Attendance: n/a

Referee: Steve Bates