Hampton & Richmond 4 St Albans City 1

Hampton & Richmond moved up to sixth in Blue Square South with an emphatic 4-1 win over St Albans City on Saturday.

They were helped by a freak own goal from Gary Elphick, although the St Albans centre back can argue that he wasn't at fault for the Beavers' second goal.

He rolled the ball back to keeper Nick Eyre, but the keeper's air shot allowed the ball to trickle under his foot and into the net.

Elliott Godfrey had already given Hampton the lead with a superb 22-yard strike in the sixth minute.

St Albans danger man Lee Clarke, who had earlier forced Matt Lovett into a save, had the ball in the net in the 19th minute only to be ruled offside.

Hampton were soon 2-0 up courtesy of Eyre's gaffe, but he made amends with a leaping save from Barrie Matthews' drive in the 41st minute.

In the next attack, Eyre just managed to get his arm across to deny top scorer Lawrence Yaku a goal.

St Albans pulled one back in the 44th minute when Clarke turned in Hassan Sulaiman's cross at the far post.

In an action-packed end to the half, Craig O'Connor fizzed a shot across Hampton's goal and Eyre lost Ryan Lake's cross in the sun, but Yaku's shot cannonned away for a corner.

St Albans showed more purpose in the second half and Lovett had to save at Paul Bruce's feet in the 52nd minute, the St Albans player earning a yellow card for fouling the keeper.

At the other end, Godfrey's excellent spin, turn and shot was well taken by Eyre.

The visitors were restructed to long balls for Clarke which Orlando, Dean Wells and Alan Inns at the back dealt with admirably.

Hampton made it 3-1 in the 75th minute when Ryan Lake stooped to head home a cross from sub Elliott Frost.

Five minutes later, the points were sealed when Hodges flicked the ball on for sub Shaun McAuley to lash past Eyre.

The St Albans keeper made two good saves from Frost in the final 10 minutes.

Hampton: Matt Lovett; Graham Harper, Ryan Lake, Orlando Jeffrey, Stuart Lake, Dean Wells, Alan Inns, Elliott Godfrey (Shaun McAuley, 74), Ian Hodges, Lawrence Yaku (Elliott Frost, 66), Barrie Matthews.

Subs not used ; Glen Harris, Aaron Barnett & Dudley Gardner Attendance: 407.