A goal in either half enabled St Albans City to clinch the promotion their league form deserved but it was only after a shaky opening where they struggled for possession. But from their first real attack leading scorer Lee Clarke drilled in his 26th goal of the season from close range after a low cross by Chris Seeby. Strike partner Hakim squandered a chance one on one to double the lead shortly afterwards but made no mistake nine minutes after the interval when a defensive error put him in the clear and he calmly put his shot inside a post. Further goals should have followed later on for St Albans but the dismissal of Histon defender Hipperson for two yellow cards 13 minutes from time ensured the closing stages weren't stressful. | "With all the things I've done in 28 seasons of non-league football this is the best achievement of all!" | | Colin Lippiatt, St Albans Manager |
The Saints go marching into the Conference and Hertfordshire derbys with Stevenage Borough, the host club for the final. After the match Colin Lippiatt was delighted with promotion: "It was going to be a very tight game, these games always are tight, nervous, iffy but we showed a lot of courage" he said. "With all the things I've done in 28 seasons of non-league football this is the best achievement of all!" Nationwide South Play-Offs Final Histon (0) 0 St Albans (1) 2 Histon: Davies, Jackman, Okay, Hipperson, Mitchell-King, Adrian Cambridge, Haniver, Neil Andrews, Bloomfield, Kennedy, Barker. Subs Not Used: Ian Cambridge, Coulson, Knight-Percival, Nightingale, Roberts. St Albans: Bastock, Seeby, Flynn, Davis, Elphick, Ada, Hann, Marwa, Hakim, Clarke, Walshe. Subs Not Used: Cracknell, Ross, Burgess, Foyewa, Roddis. Goals St Albans: Clarke 7, Hakim 67. Attendance: 3,175 Referee: J Farries (Oxfordshire) | 
