10 Mar 2026
St Albans City 1 Dulwich Hamlet 0 (Isthmian League Premier Division)
Report from Jess Unwin at Clarence Park, photos by Jim Standen
Promotion may be a receding possibility for St Albans City this season, but a six-game unbeaten run, which has included four clean sheets, is helping to foster a feel-good vibe that’s been missing at Clarence Park since the club’s FA Cup journey to the third round proper earlier this season.
That growing positivity will only have been bolstered by a well-deserved 1-0 win against Dulwich Hamlet that featured a first half attacking show led by the wing wizardry dished up by Kieran Petrie and then a resolute second half defensive shift to deny the visitors any way back into the game.
If City continue their improvement, it’s still unlikely they can secure a return to the National League South. It may be mathematically possible, but Saints are 11 points off the promotion play-off places with just eight games to play.
And their chances certainly won’t be improved if a hamstring injury to top scorer Leo Sery turns out to be as serious as is feared.
But ending the season in good form will not just please Saints supporters – it will also greatly aid manager Gary McCann’s attempts to persuade players to commit to City and build a team that CAN win promotion next season.
McCann told the St Albans Times: “We’re pleased with the bulk of this squad but there have been some standout performers in the past six weeks. I don’t want to name names but, of course, there are target players we want to secure for next season.
“We’ve got to put a side together that’s capable of winning the division next year, not just competing for a play-off spot, so our recruitment is slightly different to many other teams in this division.
“It’s hard for us to take risks with unknown and untried players because the demands are so great. And it’s us as the management team that are creating those demands. We’ve come here to be successful and with a remit to achieve something – next year if it’s not this year –so we’ve got to put together a group that really relates to that.
“Our recruitment has also got to be of a high order because of what we’ve already got in the changing room – it has to complement the quality we’ve got in there – and that process has already started.”
On Saturday, a crowd of 2,259 was witness to a performance down the left wing from 21-year-old Petrie that simultaneously excited City supporters and petrified Dulwich defenders.
McCann said: “He was unplayable at times in that first half. He’s still got much more to learn and can improve – but he’s a talent.”
Petrie, who joined Saints on a dual registration deal from Wealdstone at the end of November, put City in front on 37 minutes, rifling home into the roof of the net after Dulwich keeper Toby Bull could only parry Sery’s shot into his path.
In a first half dominated by Saints, an earlier Petrie cross had set up an effort from Sam Smart that was deflected wide, and Jack James’s shot following the resultant corner kick hit the side netting.
Sam Donkin used his legs to block a chance for Dulwich’s Michael Chambers, but it was City who had the lion’s share of the opportunities, including a goal-bound Sery header that forced an outstanding save from Bull.
After the break, with just one goal in it, Dulwich pressed for an equaliser, yet Sery still managed a sharp near-post strike, which was saved by Bull, before he had to limp off clutching the back of his leg.
Without him, Saints didn’t seem able to keep the ball as well up front and Dulwich capitalised, enjoying their best spell of the game.
A free kick in a dangerous position just outside the penalty area saw Luke Wanadio curl an effort just high and wide of the post, but determined and well-organised Saints defending meant that was the nearest Dulwich got to levelling the scores.
McCann was unsurprisingly pleased with his side’s defensive resilience and said: “Continuity in the selection of the back four is key. We’ve had that recently and it’s helped us get four clean sheets in six games.”
On Sery’s injury, he conceded that losing his top marksman from the team for any length of time was a “blow” but added: “We’ve got Alex Wall coming back into contention and both Jasper Mather and Zane Banton can play up front too.”
- Former St Albans City management duo Ian Culverhouse and Paul Bastock have “parted company” with struggling King’s Lynn Town. The pair were at the helm at Clarence Park for City’s relegation from the National League South and at the beginning of the current 2025-26 campaign Bastock told the St Albans Times he and Culverhouse wanted to “put right what went wrong last season”. However, they accepted an October offer to join King’s Lyn – where Culverhouse had twice been the manager previously – departing just days before Saints’ third round FA Cup clash with Burton Albion.
- St Albans City’s game this Saturday (14th) is away against Chichester City, who won the reverse fixture 2-1 at Clarence Park in mid-December. Kick-off is 3pm.
