Cambridge City (h) on Sat 17th December 2011

[Daedalus]

Southern League Premier Division -
St. Albans City (12th) v Cambridge City (8th)
Saturday 17th December 2011, KO 15:00

No images allowed -http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz40/Crouchaldinho_SACFC/1310719688_large.jpg

No images allowed -http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz40/Crouchaldinho_SACFC/Saints%20Stuff/stalbans.jpg v No images allowed -http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz40/Crouchaldinho_SACFC/Saints%20Stuff/s58140451261_2008007_1726223.jpg

Clarence Park, St. Albans
No images allowed -http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz40/Crouchaldinho_SACFC/Saints%20Stuff/goalnetsaction.jpg
Copyright David Bauckham, Centre Circle Publishing. No reproduction without prior permission.

STATTO'S CORNER (written by Daedalus):

Cambridge City Quick Guide:
Club founded: 1908
Nickname: Lilywhites
Club colours: White/Black/Black
10 year record:

01-02	02-03	03-04	04-05	05-06	06-07	07-08	08-09	09-10	10-11
SthP 14th	SthP 18th	SthP 8th	ConfS 2nd	ConfS 7th	ConfS 13th	ConfS 14th	SthP 4th	SthP 6th	SthP 4th

Read more about Cambridge City's club history by clicking here (select 'Club History' from the menu on the left side).


Interesting links:

Cambridge City official website

The Cambridge City fans' forum - 'The Lilywhites' Soapbox - is also accessible via the main website under the fans section of the menu on the left side.

City drew 2-2 at home to Chesham United in their last league game. See the front page of their site for a brief match report.

The Herts Ad's City Live feature has not been running for recent matches. If it is working, it is usually usually available here. If it is not up and running, we usually hope to have some updates here on the forum for those who can't make the match.

We'll add any other interesting links here as they appear.


Current Form (last 5 matches in the league):
St. Albans City - DLLLW (home form - DWWDL)

Cambridge City - LLLDD (away form - LWLLD)


Top league goalscorer(s):
St. Albans City - Paul Furlong and Sakho Bakare are both on 5 league goals for the Saints so far this season.

Cambridge City - Craig Hammond is City's leading scorer with 11 goals in the league.


Latest Saints team news:

- Ryan Moran's four match suspension continues for this match. This is the second match of his suspension and he won't be available to play again until 2012.

- Michael Harriman is suspended after his sending off against Barwell. He will therefore miss this match.

- Sean Shields may be out for some time after picking up a bad injury in the match against Hitchin Town at Top Field last weekend. It was suggested that he has suspected ligament damage to his left ankle and, unfortunately, could be out for a while.

- The Herts Ad reported that Howell is looking at one or two players on trial this week so we may see some new faces on Saturday. The Herts Ad article can be accessed here - www.hertsad.co.uk/sport/football/city_waiting_on_shields_and_roberts_1_1154146

- In addition to this, four youth team players have signed on first team forms. Those players are Joe Zazzerra and Tremayne Charles, along with Matt Taylor and Myles Scott. The latter two players have already appeared for the first team this season.

- Despite rumours and suggestions in the local papers, the Saints have not yet signed Drew Roberts despite making their interest public in a recent website announcement.


Possible Saints starting XI (in a 4-4-2 formation):

No images allowed -http://footballformation.co.uk/team/442/161211114318.png

Quick Stats Guide (league matches only):

St. Albans City:
- Worst goals against column in the league having conceded 45 goals in 21 games (average goals conceded is 2.14 a game)
- One win in 5
- 11 points out of the last 30

Cambridge City:
- Scored in the last 8 matches
- Not won for 6 games
- One win in 7
- 8 points out of the last 24

[Daedalus]

No Final Word for this game, so I've just put some basic links up to answer the usual questions.

How did the Saints get on against Hitchin Town?

Match report of out last game - www.stalbansreview.co.uk/sport/localsport/9413390.City_captain_ensures_Gray_day_for_Hitchin/


What did David Howell have to say about it?

Some of Howell's interview comments are covered in this article - www.stalbansreview.co.uk/sport/localsport/9416424.Saints_boss_delighted_with_skipper_s_contribution/

This is the actual interview - www.sacfc.co.uk/index.php/news/-manager-interview/1776-howell-jimmy-gray-showed-the-qualities-i-feel-we-need.html


How are Cambridge City getting on this season?

Cambridge City results so far this season - go to their home page - www.cambridgecityfc.com/ - and use the left side menu to select fixtures/results

Last league match - Cambridge City 2 Chesham Utd 2 (see the brief report on their home page)

[Daedalus]

The City Archives - Free French Navy Friendly, 1942[/u]

We have a new feature to place alongside our previews this season, as one of Saints Chat's regular posters, Brummie, delves into the history books to provide us with match reports from the past. This gives a chance to walk down memory lane, or learn a little about City's past, before the next match in the present!

This time, Brummie has given us a typed report of a match that took place in 1942. This match report is from a friendly match played during World War 2 at Clarence Park between City and a team from the Free French Navy. City won 13-3 but one player who did not make it for the game was Ronnie Burke. He later went on to play for Manchester United from 1947 to the early 1950s as one of Matt Busby's early babes. A Topliss scored six goals in this game.

Friendly Match December 1st 1942

ST ALBANS CITY v FREE FRENCH NAVY

The members of the Free French Navy team which visited St Albans on Saturday had what was for them, a memorable stay. They were delighted with the warmth of their welcome and the hospitality bestowed upon them before and after the game. But on the field of play they were, despite unlucky efforts, completely outplayed by the Citizens who, from the start produced what must be one of the most amazing results ever seen.

The Mayor, Councillor J Turnbull received the Naval team and officials at the Town Hall where, after light refreshments had been given, they were accompanied by members of the St Albans branch of the Association of Free French Volunteers on a tour of the Abbey where the Head Verger was the guide.

Before the game commenced the teams stood in the centre circle while “The Marsellaise” and “God save the King” were played. As to the match once the teams had settled down the Citizens began to establish a certain superiority which was never lost. MURPHY, who played brilliantly in the first half, opened the scoring and quickly added a second and TOPLISS, with a hat trick, scored the first half goals to give the Citizens a 5-0 interval lead.

Two minutes after the change of ends JACQUES, the best of the Free French players, scored with a long shot. . But then the Citizens added six more goals through RICHARDSON (2), TOPLISS (2), ROBINSON and ELLISON before JACQUES netted again for the Free French.

KIRKHAM scored the Citizens twelfth goal and TOPLISS scored again, his sixth in the match before BARTOLI completed the scoring with the Free French Navy’s third goal.

A collection taken during the game in aid of the Free French Prisoners of War Fund amounted to £12 12s 4d and the Club Committee made a donation of £5.

After the match the visitors were entertained to tea by the St Albans Branch of the Free French Volunteers and in the evening were guests of the Camp Liberal Club.

Full Time ST ALBANS CITY 13 FREE FRENCH NAVY 3

Team. Powell, Crossley. Stokes, Ellison, Hall, Kirkham, Murphy, Richardson, Topliss, Robinson and Holloway

Thanks, as always, go to Brummie for delving into the City Archives to provide us with an interesting read alongside our usual match previews!

[Daedalus]

I've just seen that the Herts Ad has it's 'NEXT IN TOWN' feature back up and running. See here - www.hertsad.co.uk/sport/football/next_in_town_cambridge_city_1_1155245

And also, it looks like City Live will return at the following link - services.hertsad.co.uk/herts/features/hertsadlive/all/default.aspx

[Norman7Saints]

Will the game be on?

[Norman7Saints]

I have heard all the snow has gone in St Albans so we should be fine for tomorrow!
lets hope for a good attendance hopefully Cambridge will bring a few which will
make it a good atmosphere COYS

[tevez32]

we've signed Dwayne Clarke

[Norman7Saints]

what position is he and where is he from tevez32?

[asaintreborn]

If it's the player i'm thinking of then he's from harrow borough and he's a midfielder. I could however be wrong!

[Saint]

Even though the Herts Ad is running, here is the Saints team: Jupp; Matthews; Bernard; Ijaha; Cutchey; Gray (C); Hart; Hyde; Furlong; Martin; Watts. Subs: Haworth; Bakare; Jinadu; Lanniquot; Ehui.

[brummie]

services.hertsad.co.uk/herts/features/hertsadlive/all/default.aspx

Here's the City live link

[brummie]

Sorry Saint. Hope I didn't steal your thunder by posting that link

[Saint]

Goal: 40th minute, Martin header!

[Saint]

No worries Brummie, the Herts Ad updates are better than mine! Haha.

[Saint]

HT: 1-0.

[Saint]

2-0, 59th minute, Simon Martin.

[Saint]

3-0, 61st minute, Cutchey with a superb strike.

[Saint]

Pen saved by Jupp.

[Saint]

Att: 362.

[Saint]

FT: 3-0.

[Deleted]

great win!, yet another clean sheet, yet another 3 goals and 3 pts
kudos to one and all, how good was that 3rd , superb team play.

i wont get too carried away tho till we do it on a february tuesday night in stoke....

COYS

[Daedalus]

Dec 17, 2011 17:48:36 GMT @gaz said:

i wont get too carried away tho till we do it on a february tuesday night in stoke....

Indeed! ;D

[Daedalus]

Well done you Saints. Great team performance today!

Great to see the lads battling and fighting for each other. A number of really pleasing performances and Simon Martin grabbing a brace of goals! Cutchey's superb strike was the icing on the cake!

I'm delighted with the clean sheet as well. Our defence marshalled by James Gray looks so much better.

More of the same on Boxing Day please!

[EFMTFTV]

Really good stuff today, we need to keep it going otherwise it's just another false dawn against 2 teams on dire form

[northamptonsaint]

Reading the post-match comments about their team's performance on the Cambridge fans' forum, I was struck by the similarity of the complaints that are aired on here when things go wrong for City - hoofball, immobile defence and an unsettled squad of ageing players. This from a club that expects a top-five finish. Perhaps this is how it is in this league.

thelilywhitessoapbox.ipbhost.com/topic/3598-st-albans-v-city/page__st__20

At least one of their supporters thought that they were still in with a chance when already 3.0 down, which is a bit worrying if it was true!

[brummie]

Dec 18, 2011 6:48:38 GMT northamptonsaint said:

Reading the post-match comments about their team's performance on the Cambridge fans' forum, I was struck by the similarity of the complaints that are aired on here when things go wrong for City - hoofball, immobile defence and an unsettled squad of ageing players. This from a club that expects a top-five finish. Perhaps this is how it is in this league.

Hi Northampton. That's what is known as "fickle fan syndrome" Every club has this complaint i'm afraid.

Chants of "Howell out" when we are losing or playing badly and "The greatest team ever" when we are on a good run.

Even Alex Ferguson had this trouble when he first managed Manchester United. Now you'd be hard pressed to find those fans today.

Lets hope this is the start of a decent run of results and not a false dawn.

[Daedalus]

Other results in the league yesterday:

Arlesey Town 0 - 2 Leamington

Banbury United 3 - 0 Barwell

Bedford Town 0 - 1 Redditch United

Chesham United 2 - 3 Brackley Town

Evesham United 2 - 4 Chippenham Town

Hemel Hempstead Town 2 - 0 Hitchin Town

Oxford City 2 - 2 AFC Totton

St. Albans City 3 - 0 Cambridge City

Stourbridge 2 - 1 Cirencester Town

Swindon Supermarine 0 - 2 Frome Town

Weymouth 2 - 1 Bashley

[Daedalus]

Saints up to 11th.

www.southern-football-league.co.uk/league-tables/premier.asp?section=league-tables

[Deleted]

Managers post-match interview is available on the Club site :-
www.sacfc.co.uk/index.php/news/-manager-interview/1780-howell-we-had-strength-throughout-the-side.html

Interesting comments that he hasn't spent all the budget he has been allocated.

[gooner]

Thought the save by Jupp to his right hand side in the seciond half was high standard. Better than the pen.