COUNTY returned to Clarence Park where it all began seven months ago, and chiselled out a 1-0 win to extend their record- breaking unbeaten run in Blue Square South to a phenomenal 20 matches, 14 of which have been won.

They last visited the corner of Hertfordshire on the back of a humiliating 4-0 home defeat by Bath City, and when Sam Foley’s equaliser earned them a point on that day you would have long odds from the league’s sponsors that it would be the start of something so special.

St Albans boss Steve Castle used his programme notes to assure home fans that his side would not make it easy for top-of-the-table County, but they posed little menace.

Dean Holdsworth, with three brand-new signings at his disposal, decided to start only Ashan Holgate, who played wide on the right in the role Charlie Henry usually occupies, and kept the pace of the Swansea duo Kerry Morgan and Casey Thomas on the bench.

Kicking down the slope in the first half on a pitch where the touchlines had been brought in, County found it difficult to keep the ball in play and the first half was disjointed and almost devoid of action.

County’s flair players, including 23-year-old birthday boy Sam Foley, could not get their games started, and when home skipper Ryan Frater headed to the unmarked Danny Rose on the stroke of half-time, the County midfield player was so surprised he snatched at the chance and headed harmlessly wide.

St Albans were anonymous and the game needed an injection of pace which it got in the 63rd minute, when Holdsworth replaced holding player Wayne Turk and Holgate with the speedy, but unpredictable Henry, and Morgan for his Exiles debut.

The County boss has a good track record with his substitutions, however, and six minutes later the decisive goal was scored.

Foley kept possession well and when the ball was switched to the left, Henry appeared to have run out of space to shoot, but his angled left-footed drive roared into the roof of the net leaving veteran home ’keeper Paul Bastock helpless, and the little winger delighted the County fans with his customary celebration.

Former Tottenham defender Alton Thelwell, who was making his league debut, had kept the County back door closed alongside the impressive Paul Cochlin, but when he found himself in uncharted territory a few yards out from the home net three minutes later he looked disorientated and the chance went begging.

The miss could have proved costly because in the 77th minute St Albans produced their one moment of danger.

Tricky teenager Jonathan O’Donnell worked his way through the County defence, but when the chance opened up the advancing Glyn Thompson spread himself well to push the ball away.

County, who did not manage to force a corner throughout, should have extended the advantage in injury time through Craig Reid, but with Bastock beaten, the ball thudded against the bar.

St Albans: Bastock, Quilter (Peters 78), Everitt (Chillingworth 82), Poku, Clayton, Frater, Shields, Fisher, Cohen, Bailey, O’Donnell. Subs not used: Maxwell, Otobo, Dedman.

Cautions: Quilter (56), Everitt (74).

County: Thompson, Bignot, Cook, Turk (Morgan 63), Thelwell, Cochlin, Rose, Rogers, Reid, Foley, Holgate (Henry 63). Subs not used: Thomas, Warren, Blackburn.

Caution: Turk (30).

Argus star man: Paul Cochlin.

Referee: Andrew Parker (Stanford-le-Hope).

Attendance: 581.