Stellar performance seals three points against the Saints

Following a quiet opening 15 minutes of the game, the Clarets took the lead from a Tom Blackwell corner.

With a Charlie Sheringham header having forced the corner in the first place, the striker was the man to rise highest in the box for the resulting delivery to head home.

Just over 10 minutes later another set-piece for the Clarets teed up a header to double Robbie Simpson’s side’s lead.

A quick free-kick from Louis Dunne led to Blackwell and Matt Rush linking up down the right before the former crossed in for Cameron James to head in the second.

St Albans’ first real effort of the game quickly followed the goal, with the ball coming to David Noble on the edge of the box before his lasered shot was deflected over the bar.

The game’s next big chance saw Sheringham go just inches away from adding his second as a pinpoint free-kick into the box found him six yards out but the frontman couldn’t make contact to send the ball in.

Minutes on from the restart Shaun Jeffers had an early chance to pull one back but Kai McKenzie-Lyle made a stretching save to prevent his shot from inside the box.

Following a spell of pressure from the Saints, Dunne added the Clarets’ third goal on the hour mark following an unbelievable run and spectacular finish.

The midfielder picked up a loose ball in the Chelmsford half before driving down the left in Gareth Bale-esque fashion before dinking a delightful finish over Michael Johnson.

Three minutes on from there and the City clean sheet was maintained by an excellent McKenzie-Lyle save following a Jeffers strike on the turn from the edge of the area.

From that point on, some astute defending from the Clarets restricted St Albans to half chances and seeing out the clean sheet meant the game ended in a 3-0 win against the play-off hopefuls.

Major moment…

In the victory at Clarence Park, Louis Dunne’s goal for the Clarets was the major moment in the fixture.

With the hosts enjoying a good spell of pressure while City were two goals up, the third put real distance between the two outfits.

Not only was the goal important, but it was also a spectacular one from the midfielder and his first of the season.

Next up…

City are back in action on Easter Monday as we return to the EMG Inspire Stadium for an Essex derby.

Billericay Town are the visitors on the day, with both teams looking to move away from the division’s relegation spot.

The kick-off in the Vanarama National League South fixture is at 3pm.

St Albans City: Johnson; Adebiyi, Clark, Jones; Green (Neal 76’), Brown (Goddard 46’), Wiltshire, Noble (Dawson 76’), Banton; Jeffers, Weiss.

Unused substitutes: Sole, Mukena.

Chelmsford City: McKenzie-Lyle; Bradshaw (Vaz 68’), Oluwo, James, Imray; Dunne, Isaac (Frimpong 73’), Dada; Blackwell, Sheringham (Jackson 81’), Rush.

Unused substitutes: Moore, Simpson.

Attendance: 1,543