ST ALBANS City boss Steve Castle admitted the best side hadn t won on Saturday. City came away with three points despite having to withstand heavy pressure from fellow play-off hopefuls Thurrock. Castle s side were indebted to a number of top saves from g

ST ALBANS City boss Steve Castle admitted the best side hadn't won on Saturday.

City came away with three points despite having to withstand heavy pressure from fellow play-off hopefuls Thurrock.

Castle's side were indebted to a number of top saves from goalkeeper Paul Bastock and a couple of last ditch blocks from Adam Everitt, who popped up at the other end to net the only goal of the game.

Castle conceded that his side hadn't played to their best but says that results are all that matter at this stage of the campaign.

"We'll play a lot better and lose," said Castle afterwards. "It's just a weird game football, lets be honest, we got battered and could have been 3-0 down. A great ball in from a corner, which Jake Beecroft is doing regularly now, Adam Everitt attacks the area and it's a great goal.

"We've obviously got to sit and digest it and talk about the main topics but it is about results, we got our victory and we go on to Worcester.

"Football's unfair, it was very, very honest. We've had a hell of a performance from Paul Bastock, we've kept a clean sheet and if you keep a clean sheet you've always got a chance of getting a point or even three points. We haven't had an awful lot of quality, that's unfortunate on our part but they know that, they're an honest bunch of lads who knew they didn't play at their full potential."

Bastock and Everitt were City's star men and Castle said afterwards he was running out of superlatives to praise Saints' veteran goalkeeper.

"How many plaudits do you want me and everybody else to give the lad?," he commented.

"He comes down and puts the absolute maximum effort in week in week out.

"He's quite happy to pledge himself for longer, age is never a concern. I know he's getting near to that 40 mark but he's as fit as a flea and his desire is still there. He's just performed fantastically, he has done his job but beyond the call of duty."

Castle had called for more people to come to Clarence Park ahead of Saturday's game and people responded with City enjoying their best gate of 2010.

"If we can keep it interesting hopefully we'll get a few more people. It wasn't a game where you think St Albans have played some incredible football there - I think the best footballing team didn't win but that doesn't always match up.

"We've just said before the game, lets try and keep it as interesting as possible for the whole duration, it's been well documented by me that it's not ideal at the moment. We've got a good bunch of honest lads there and if we can't stick together - I was very grateful that certain people went on the bench and we didn't have the one or two subs like we did last week - it's great. The results are giving them belief and we'll go up to Worcester, that'll be a tough game, we've just got to take every game as it comes.

*Check online later in the week to read Adam Everitt's thoughts on St Albans City's recent turnaround in fortunes.