GREG Ngoyi helped himself to a brace as St Albans City claimed an impressive 3-1 win away at Arlesey Town on Saturday.
The striker won and scored a ninth minute penalty before following up to head home after a Chris Seeby effort hit the bar just after the hour mark to wrap up the three points.
In between the hosts had levelled on 32 minutes through Aston Goss’ header on 32 minutes with Josh Urquhart putting the Saints back ahead just after the break.
City started the game brightly on a heavy pitch, with large parts covered in sand, and could have taken a first minute lead as Ngoyi charged down an Arlesey clearance with the ball falling to Dave Keenleyside whose tame shot was easily saved by home keeper Nathan Abbey.
The visitors’ bright start continued and they went ahead from the penalty spot with Ngoyi netting after he was bundled over in the box by former City defender Danny Gordon.
Arlesey had a penalty shout of their own on 23 minutes as the ball bounced up and hit the arm of debutant City defender Ryan Wharton, but the referee waved play on.
The hosts enjoyed their best spell of the half at this point, winger Goss beat Wharton on the left flank and crossed for Drew Roberts who had his goalbound shot blocked by another City debutant Joe Bruce.
The home pressure was to tell as Jemal Prosper got the better of City left back Layne Eadie to deliver the ball to the far post when Goss converted from close range to level.
City responded and tried their luck from distance with Keenleyside firing over and skipper James Conley seeing his ambitious lob sail just too high over the target.
The second half could not have started any better for the visitors.
A lovely passing move saw Comley clip the ball out to the right for Keenleyside who centred for Josh Urquhart to slot past Abbey to restore his side’s lead.
The game was very stop-start with the referee awarding plenty of free-kicks.
From one such set-piece on the edge of the Arlesey area Keenleyside curled an effort around the wall, but Abbey had it covered.
However, from the next free-kick St Albans effectively wrapped up the three points.
From wide on the right, Richard Graham crossed into the Town dangerzone, Seeby volleyed a delicious shot from the edge of the box which crashed against the crossbar and rebounded out to Ngoyi who reacted quickest to nod past Abbey to make it 3-1 on 61 minutes.
With 20 minutes left Arlesey substitute Ollie Thorne picked up a yellow card for charging into Ngoyi, which was to prove costly for him later.
Soon after Town’s Ricky Miller robbed Eadie of the ball and shot straight at stopper Nick Jupp from 25 yards.
Comley fired off target from a tight angle as City could have added a fourth.
Near the end Arlesey’s misery was completed as Thorne clashed with Comley, both players were booked, however it was a second yellow for the home player who was sent off.
The win leaves the Saints two places, and five points, outside of the play-off places in seventh, they host strugglers Redditch United on Saturday at Clarence Park.
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