10.30am 20 January 2024
Arthurian League, Division Two
Old Albanians 2 Old Aldenhamians 1 (att 6)
It's been a while since I last watched an Arthurian League fixture. The regular mix of morning and lunchtime kick offs are handy for extra games, and grounds, on Saturdays.
The early start needed to get to St Albans in time for this third tier match was rewarded with an entertaining game. And on a day when grass pitches were vulnerable to frost, the 3G surface at Beaumont School was reliable.
It's a good set up, with a pair of dugouts on the far side and a spectator area on the near side. The only annoyance was a cable across the pitch, used to divide it for small-sided games, which interrupted the action whenever it was hit by the ball.
All the goals were in the second half. The home side's opener was well taken about 10 minutes after the break. Their decisive second goal, into the top corner from distance and an angle, was either sublime skill or outrageous fortune.
Aldenhamians pulled a goal back in the final minute, and a stoppage time red card for Albanians made for a tense finish, but there were no more goals. Albanians have been having a tough season, but this deserved win lifted them off the foot of the table.
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