06 Nov 2025
After the froth of FA Cup excitement, City supporters will hope the 6-0 Brewers result hasn’t left the players feeling flat, writes Jess Unwin.
The cup run has helped the Saints squad to gel, but now attention will return to the challenge of climbing the Isthmian League Premier Division table to push for promotion and an immediate return to the National League South.
City will have to shake off any cup defeat hangover if they are to collect points in two tough upcoming league fixtures – away to seventh-placed Dulwich Hamlet this Saturday and then at home at Clarence Park against league-leaders Brentwood Town the following Tuesday night at 7.45pm.
Dulwich’s most recent game was a resounding 4-0 win in the Velocity Cup against Harrow,
while Brentwood’s wobble in form continued with a second defeat in a row, going down 2-1 to Whitehawk.
With these opponents in mind, it was a Saints side of under-23 players that beat AFC Welwyn 4-2 in the Herts Senior Cup on Monday night this week. City’s scorers were Beardon, Sippetts (2) and Jennings.
A club statement said: “The decision was made to field a weakened team in order to give the interim management team two full training sessions with the first team ahead of Saturday’s match at Dulwich Hamlet, allowing the squad to recover appropriately after the weekend’s FA Cup game.”
Michael Bostwick will continue as the focal point of that interim management team with the search for a permanent replacement for Ian Culverhouse ongoing.
However, two new players have joined the club, having signed for the Saints ahead of Saturday’s Burton defeat.
Experienced centre back Adrian Mariappa, 39, who counts Watford, Crystal Palace and Bristol City among his former clubs, was in the starting line-up for the FA Cup game at the Pirelli Stadium.
Mariappa captained Wealdstone last season, playing 43 games in the National League, and this season had taken up a coaching role at Watford before coming to Clarence Park.
Supporters will no doubt speculate he’s arrived to step in for Bostwick, who has suffered a hamstring injury.
Recovery times for hamstring injuries vary based on severity but can be anything from three weeks to several months.
St Albans City FC Director of Football Harry Wheeler said: “Adrian will bring a great deal to this squad, both on and off the field.
“He’s been training regularly with Watford this season while settling into his new coaching role there.
“Since pre-season, Adrian and I have been in regular contact with the goal that, at some point, he would join the group. Despite receiving several offers from clubs in higher divisions, the timing now feels perfect for both Adrian and the current and future needs of the squad.”
Joining the Saints on an initial month-long loan deal from Arsenal is 18-year-old striker Daniel Oyetunde. Daniel played for the Gunners in July’s pre-season friendly at Clarence
Park and he also made his first City appearance in the Burton cup match, coming on as a second-half substitute.
Going the other way and leaving Clarence Park is forward Nick Ralfe.
The 23-year-old, a product of the St Albans academy system, scored a memorable goal to secure victory over Bishop’s Stortford in last season’s Herts Senior Cup.
