St Albans City are still searching for their first home league goal of the season after a frustrating stalemate with Taunton Town.

The 0-0 draw was the second in a row and followed a 1-0 defeat to Oxford City in their first match at Clarence Park.

They were undoubtedly the better team but failed to break through a resilient Taunton defence.

The first chance of the game came six minutes in and for Taunton as a cross turned shot came in from the left and evaded everyone in the Saints box.

Michael Johnson was on hand to parry it away though.

After this chance, the Saints began to threaten and were the better side for the next 20 minutes as the ball spent the majority of the time in the Taunton half.

They were unable to create much, though, with their biggest threat coming down the right with right back Devante Stanley providing lots of energy, continuing his impressive return since the harrowing double leg break that kept him out for the majority of last season.

Whilst neither side lacked enthusiasm, it was a sloppy half from both sides as neither managed to click going forward.

The Saints should have gone into half-time in the lead but Zane Banton missed what was comfortably the best chance of the first period.

Liam Sole’s drive across the goal from the right was parried away by Jack Bycroft in the Taunton goal into the path of Banton but the ball bounced up before his connection with it and it flew over.

After a slow start to the second half, the game came to life after 60 minutes. Johnson was forced into action again after some nice Taunton build up play led to a powerful shot on goal but the Saints keeper was equal to it.

Straight after, the Saints went down the other end and Shaun Jeffers won a free kick on the edge of the Taunton area.

He took it himself and found the bottom corner with an excellent effort, but his celebrations were cut short after Chez Isaac was judged to be in an offside position, obstructing the view of the goalkeeper.

The Saints kept knocking on the door as Jeffers and Banton failed to convert a couple of half chances but after 10 minutes of excitement, the game reverted to the status quo as both sides struggled to create anything of note.

St Albans City: Johnson, Stanley, Clark, Adebiyi, Moore, Isaac (Dawson 84), Wiltshire, Sole (Paul 67) , Banton, Neal, Jeffers.