Tarpey puts City to the sword

Hampton & Richmond Boro 3 (David Tarpey 27, 82, Lawrence Yaku 90)

St Albans City 0

James Ronayne at The Beveree

DAVID Tarpey put St Albans City to the sword with two goals as the Saints' Easter weekend came to an end with a 3-0 defeat at Hampton & Richmond Borough.

It was hard for City to take as they were not three goals worse than their hosts but in Tarpey Hampton had a man who could take his chances and with City never really looking like scoring it was always going to be difficult.

It may have turned out differently had Adam Everitt's header found the corner of the net and not the post with the game just seven minutes old.

However Hampton always looked dangerous on the break with Tarpey tormentor in chief.

The former Basingstoke striker opened the scoring on 27 minutes twisting and turning Everitt and firing inside Bastock's far post.

Tarpey found himself in a similar position just two minutes later but the City defence closed him down and his effort was deflected wide for a corner.

At the other end Jake Beecroft's corner found Ian Dunn but the City striker headed over the bar while Bastock was called into action to keep out a Tarpey free kick.

In first half stoppage time Gary Cohen beat Matt Lovett to Dean Wells' weak back pass but no other Saints player had gambled on Cohen winning the ball and the Hampton defence were able to clear the danger.

The Saints enjoyed considerable possession in the second half and played some good football in spells but it is further up the field where Saints' problems lie and they again struggled to create real clear cut chances with Chris Sullivan probably having the best opening.

The former Stevenage man did well to spin Wells on the edge of the box but dragged his shot wide under pressure from Orlando Jeffery.

Tarpey looked like testing the Saints every time he received the ball and he could have had a hat-trick had he not fired wide from a free kick and then dragged his effort wide when left one-on-one with Everitt.

Beecroft's superb delivery from set plays has been a real positive during the Rushden man's loan spell with City and he again caused problems with a corner that Lovett missed but Everitt couldn't get over the ball and headed over.

City went at their opponents throwing Mark Peters up front with Dunn with Sullivan playing just off them and Pete Smith out on the left wing and leaving just three at the back.

Rob Magwood set Smith free on the left and he went on a mazy run before crossing for Dunn but the striker volleyed straight at Lovett.

Bastock showed why he is loved by the Saints fans with a superb close range save to keep Tarpey's volley out but there was nothing he could do to stop the striker grabbing a second just minutes later.

A ball over the top saw the City defence stop waiting for the offside flag to be correctly raised against Lawrence Yaku but the Hampton striker stopped allowing Tarpey to race onto the loose ball and round Bastock before firing home.

City had a good shout for a penalty ignored by referee Tim Robinson when Barrie Matthews handled the ball on the floor but the referee was quick to send off Hampton right-back Chris Robinson when he struck Smith.

Despite being down to 10 men Hampton were able to add a third and really rub salt into City's wounds.

Craig Dundas robbed James Fisher on the right touchline and advanced into the box before squaring for Yaku to roll the ball under Bastock and complete a miserable Easter weekend for City.

Hampton: Lovett; Robinson, Wells (c), Jeffery, Matthews; Beckford (Kanjor 62), Lake, Dundas, Beadle (Witham 90); Yaku, Tarpey (Goodman 85).

Subs not used: Quashie, Hodges.

St Albans City: Bastock; Dedman (Johnson 53), Frater (c), Everitt, Smith; Beecroft, Fisher, Magwood, Sullivan; Dunn, Cohen (Peters 70).

Subs: Wheeler, James.

Referee: Tim Robinson (West Sussex)

Att: 357

Man of the Match: Rob Magwood