Petersfield Town 0 St Albans City 1: PETERSFIELD Town’s FA Cup dreams were dashed by National League South side St Albans City at Love Lane on Saturday.

The record-breaking cup run was brought to a halt by a single goal scored four minutes before half time.

Before that the match could have gone either way, with no noticeable difference between the two sides who normally play their football two divisions apart.

But once the visitors had their noses in front they used their experience to snuff out the Rams’ threat and in the second half the home side couldn’t build up the head of steam they needed to get back into the game, despite being cheered on by a big crowd of 370.

In the first half both sides traded chances, with both sets of players nervously looking to play their way into the game.

On 16 minutes Ryan Woodford headed a deep corner back towards goal and Michael Dixon flicked the ball wide at the near post.

Two minutes later St Albans found space on the left and Graeme Montgomery got just inside the penalty area before shooting and keeper Anthony Ender had to get down quickly to keep the shot out.

On 22 minutes Joe Briggs fired in a free kick from the right and Dixon had a free header in front of goal but he put his effort high and wide.

The Rams then had a corner from the left which was flicked on into the paths of Jamie Ford and Joe Richardson but neither could apply the finishing touch to the loose ball.

Alek Przespolewski then sent a dipping volley from 25 yards out just over the top and at the other end the visitors had strong penalty calls for what they thought was a handball by a Petersfield defender waved away.

On 31 minutes Ben Martin headed the ball towards goal from a corner and Ender had to leap to his right to claw the ball away and at the other end Przespolewski spotted keeper Joe Welch off his line and tried his luck with a shot from 45 yards out that went just over the top.

On 40 minutes Petersfield had their best chance of taking the lead when Briggs got clear on the right, rode a tackle and then curled a shot which was heading into the top corner until Welch used his good reflexes to leap to his right and flick the ball over the crossbar.

A minute later the visitors got their noses in front. A cross from the left was floated towards the far post and Martin outjumped the home defence to head the ball back across goal. Ender and Dan Sackman both scrambled across the goal line to try and keep the ball out but it bounced into the far corner of the net.

In the second half Petersfield struggled to create the chances which would have got them back into the game and Ender had to make two sharp saves to limit the visitors’ lead to one goal.

On 67 minutes a low cross came into the box and Harry Crawford slid in on it and turned it towards the bottom corner of the net but the Rams keeper got down well to scoop the ball around the post for a corner.

On 75 minutes John Kyriacou found space on the right before cutting inside and curling a shot on goal which Ender tipped over the top with a fine one handed save.

Petersfield’s moment to at least force a replay came and went two minutes later. Przespolewski fired in a low free kick from the right which a defender deflected towards his own goal. However, Welch threw himself to his right to turn the goalbound deflection around the post for a corner.

Petersfield: Ender, Hyde, Wain (Thompson), Woodford (Wedlake), Sackman, Ford, Briggs, Przespolewski, Neighbour, Dixon (Neal), Richardson. Subs not used: O Searle, Lowley, Read, Flanighan.