A red card could not prevent St Albans City from getting a draw away to Torquay United.

Zane Banton was dismissed for an elbow 66 minutes into the 1-1 National League South draw at Plainmoor, nine minutes after he had scored the City equaliser.

The results leaves them bottom with zero wins and just three points form their opening nine league matches.

They have though gone three games without a defeat now, this draw following another at home to Weston-super-Mare and an FA Cup success at Needham Market.

And manager David Noble is sensing a change in the wind.

David Noble felt his side would have won it before the sending off. Picture: JIM STANDENDavid Noble felt his side would have won it before the sending off. Picture: JIM STANDEN (Image: Jim Standen) He said: "There have been signs [of improvement] throughout the season with performances but you have to put the result with it.

"It's difficult for us to get out of this spell at the minute.

"When you're winning games of football, it seems to be easy, the next rolls around and you keep winning.

"But the reverse is true when you're losing. Things don't seem to go your way.

"That's three games without defeat, two clean sheets and two good points against Weston and Torquay, teams that are flying high.

"They are really good signs without getting the three points."

The straight red card for Banton came at a crucial time for Noble, just as Saints were looking good for a opening league win.

"Before the sending off," he said, "I thought we were going to go on and win the game.

"We were really comfortable in that first 65 minutes, without being great and without creating loads of chances.

"We should take the lead, their guy makes an unbelievable block on the line from our one good bit of play in the first half.

"Second half we were starting to look like penetrating more and then the game changes.

"To look after the point we had [with 10 men] against a really good side, I can't be disappointed, as much as we need the points.

"This is a good point in the end."

It wasn't all positive though with the goal for the Gulls, scored on 51 minutes by Ben Seymour, coming seconds after Gio Rasulo had squandered golden opportunity for City.

For the boss it was the perfect example of the club's luck at the moment.

"That 30 second period of play summed up our season so far," lamented Noble.

"It was an unbelievable bit of football and we should take the lead, Gio goes in one-on-one and if he decides to square it, he has Shaun Jeffers there.

"Then they clear the ball and from nothing they score, they basically clear it and end up scoring.

"There were two preventable mistakes from us. 

"But we got straight back on the horse and scored a fantastic goal from Zane and from that point on, there only looked like there would be one winner.

"We are not getting what we deserve out of matches at the moment. This was another one."

St Albans will now turn their attentions back to the FA Cup and a third qualifying round tie at Isthmian League Division One North Gorleston, two steps below Saints.