St Albans City 1 Spurs XI 2

9:40am Thursday 17th July 2008

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CITY put in a spirited display against a Spurs side, going down 2-1 to a side featuring first-team squad members Kevin-Prince Boateng, Anthony Gardner and Ricardo Rocha.

City left themselves with too much to do when Clive Allen's side raced into a two-goal lead with first half goals from David Hutton and Alex Olsen.

But a draw looked like a real possibility when Hassan Sulaiman got past Yuri Berchiche down the right-hand side and put in a good cross to the back post where Simon Martin bundled home.

City began the match brightly but Spurs took the wind out of their sails with an opening goal on six minutes.

Cian Hughton's long ball forward was misjudged by 'keeper Paul Bastock, and Hutton chipped him from the edge of the box with a cool finish.

Although Simon Martin had a chance for City moments later, Spurs took control of the game and bagged a second on 24 minutes with Hutton again involved.

He broke through the middle and laid it left to Danny Hutchins, whose pinpoint cross was well finished by Olsen at the back post.

Kyle Fraser-Allen and Boateng had chances to make it three before the home side got themselves back in the game just before half-time with Martin's finish.

After a number of half-time changes, Spurs picked up again after the break with chances falling to Andy Barcham, Saulo Asajile and Hutton.

But the Blue Square South side could so easily have snatched a well deserved draw when Rod Hicks headed against the crossbar in the 75th minute.

Teams:

St Albans: Bastock; Fisher, Cousins, Quilter, B Martin, Frater, Hunt, Ridgway, Hakim, Clarke, S Martin Subs: Hicks, Williams, Mattos, Eames, Heywood, Chillingworth, Sulaiman, Okai, Fry

Spurs: L Butcher; Hughton, Dervite, Gardner, Berchiche; Fraser-Allen, Hutchins, Boateng, D Hutton; Barcham, Olsen Subs: McKenna, Mtandari, Rocha, Clare, Asajile