FOOTBALL.

Walton and Hersham 1

St Albans City 0,

Swans put up a battling performance at muddy Clarence Park on Saturday to complete the double over St Albans, and move themselves up to seventh in the Premier Division table.

With wind and rain in their faces Walton got off to a dreadful start, and within a minute Matt Pearson had allowed Calden to break clear, only for the St Albans' player to be brought down just outside the box by the onrushing Delroy Preddie.

The Swans' keeper was duly booked and then had to fist the resultant free kick from Cobb over the bar. Preddie then had to block Caldon's shot at the far post from the corner kick.

Swans settled themselves and Curtis Johnson should have done better than shoot wildly over when a neat move between Gary Holladay and Andy Sayer had played him in.

The home side thought they had scored after 20 minutes but after Daly had knocked in Cobb's free kick at the back post, the goal was ruled out for offside.

Preddie suffered a nose injury in this incident and there was a lengthy delay before he returned in goal.

Although under some pressure, Swans were making good breaks and sent one effort just inches past the post.

Preddie then had to undergo further treatment after keeping out Cobb's deep free kick from the left edge of Swans' area.

Holloway and Saints' Meredith were booked in a flare-up.

Ten minutes into the second half Daly powered a 25-yard effort over Preddie's bar and as the ball fell to him after Haworth had opened up Swans' left flank.

Curtis Johnson then entered the referee's notebook for kicking the ball away followed by Saints' Haworth who chopped down Barry Rake in full flight.

Trevor Baron was unlucky as his looping header from Steve Moss's free kick beat Howells in Saints' goal, only to just clear the bar, but after 73 minutes Swans took the lead.

Barry Rake made space on the left and looped in a cross to the far post and, with Howells wrong-footed, Gary Holloway knocked a left foot shot across him into the far corner.

St Albans' Mudd was fortunate to escape with just a booking, the game's eighth, as he cynically tripped Blackman en route for goal.

Swans, who had reverted to a 4-4-2 formation during the second half, were looking good for a second goal and Sayer glanced a header just wide of the far post as Dowson sent in a fine cross after neat play with Rake on the left.

Walton's defence had to hold firm in the dying minutes as St Albans tried desperately to salvage the game, and two minutes into stoppage time it was left to Delroy Preddie to conserve the three points as he made a stunning save, deflecting round his near post as Jones sent a stinging shot in from the left.

It's been a funny old month for Preddie, who celebrated 100 appearances for the club in the recent win over Dagenham and Redbridge. But he had to fit the celebrations in between two one-match bans.

He was in action again on Monday, but could do nothing to stop lowly Yeading getting a point with a 1-1 draw at home.

And the club is still waiting to learn the condition of Alan Dowson, who is currently in hospital with a cracked leg sustained in the game.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.