ST ALBANS City boss David Howell felt his senior players let him down as his Saints side fell to a 3-2 home defeat to Weymouth this afternoon (Saturday).

With the scores level at 2-2 early in the second half, ex-Fulham striker Barry Hayles had a penalty saved and then the winning goal came after one time Watford midfielder Micah Hyde was caught in possession with less than 10 minutes to play.

After the game Howell said: “I didn’t think we played very well today.

“I was disappointed in some of the senior players we have got here, some of the experienced players, on a day like today when we’re not playing well I would like them to get the group together and make sure that we are doing the basics right.

“I can think of errors that some of my senior players made at the wrong time and you can’t do that against any side.”

A minute’s silence for Remembrance Day preceded the Evo-Stik League Southern Premier Division match which began with Hyde having two attempts from the edge of the box, the second rebounded to striker Juan Onieva, in for the injured Lewis Toomey, who curled an effort straight to keeper Simon Evans in the first minute.

The next 10 minutes saw little to shout about with Sean Shields and Ryan Watts both sending crosses too close to Evans and Curtis Ujah had a weak penalty appeal turned down as he went to ground in the visitors’ box.

Weymouth went close on 22 minutes as Scott Walker’s right wing free-kick was nodded down for Mark Ford who skied the ball over from close range.

On 29 minutes The Saints should have taken the lead.

Shields did well down the left and crossed low for Onieva who fired off target from eight yards.

Hyde tried his luck from 25 yards after Onieva laid the ball back to him, but the former Premier League player’s attempt went just wide of the top right corner.

After a slow first 34 minutes the game suddenly then burst into life with three goals in four minutes.

Firstly Walker’s curled cross from the right flank was flicked beyond keeper Nick Jupp by dangerman Ford.

Almost immediately at the other end City won a corner.

Shields delivered the ball to the far post where Ujah’s side-footer looped up and eventually found the back of the net.

Incredibly Weymouth then regained the lead, a defensive mix-up let in Ben Joyce and his fine lob over Jupp found the back of the net.

Before the break Saints almost levelled once more, Chris Seeby’s cross was met by Onieva who hit the post and then saw his attempt hacked clear.

The Saints had the majority of play after the break, with Weymouth having just one effort, which proved decisive, on Jupp’s goal.

It took just six minutes for City to get back on level terms as half-time substitute Danny Gordon’s ball forward was kept in play by Shields who lobbed it across goal for Onieva who could not miss from a yard on 51 minutes.

With the wind in their sails, the hosts burst forward again with Shields.

He got the better of full-back Ashley Wells who hauled down the wide-man in the box with the referee pointing to the spot.

The experienced Hayles stepped up to the plate, however he saw keeper Evans guess correctly going down to his right to save with the rebound being rifled out of the ground.

Despite then having the majority of possession the spark seemed to have disappeared from the Saints who won several corners without them leading to real scoring opportunities.

Weymouth looked to play on the counter-attack and that is exactly how they won the game.

A St Albans attack broke down and Hyde was robbed of the ball when the last man.

The hosts called for a foul, but play continued and Ford was cool in front of goal rounding Jupp before slotting home the winner in the 85th minute.

City tried to earn a point with a Watts direct free-kick going straight to Evans and Shields beating three men, but seeing his effort from the edge of the box go to the away keeper.

With that went the Saints hopes of rescuing a point.

St Albans have the chance to get back to winning ways on Tuesday night at home to Bedford Town.