One swing of his left leg and Clay Smith's first half penalty miss was forgiven as the home team prevented Town from opening a three point lead at the top in yesterday's only surviving First Division match.

Smith's 10th goal of the season in the 70th minute settled the points after the match had hung in the balance on Jerry Laws' goal in the 51st minute. The victory avenged two earlier losses to Town and lifted St. George's into third place in the standings, their highest this season.

St. George's, without three defensive players -- goalkeeper Troy Hall and full back Dean Bailey with the Under-23 team and the injured Herbie Bascome -- suffered another setback on the eve of the game when David Adams, the player who was to have replaced Hall in goal, was sent off in an Alliance Division match against North Village on Saturday.

That forced Greg Smith out of retirement for his first appearance for the team in five years. And the 40-year-old, wearing Hall's jersey, was flawless between the posts as the Town strike pair of Carlos Smith and Darron Simons were given little scope.

Town exerted some early pressure as they looked to exploit the conditions before St. George's had their first chance in the fourth minute which Dean Minors put past the far post after Gregg Foggo knocked in a low, hard cross.

Clay Smith should have broken the deadlock in the 23rd minute from the penalty spot after a hotly disputed spot kick was awarded following a challenge from Pernell Douglas on Laws which saw both players fall to the ground.

Referee Stuart Crockwell didn't hesitate in pointing to the spot but Town would say justice was done when Cymande Davis dived to his left to save the kick.

"I was very disappointed but knowing the role I was playing in midfield I knew I couldn't let that affect me for the rest of the game,'' said Smith, wearing the captain's armband in the absence of Hall. It was Smith's second penalty miss of the season.

"I'm placing them well but not putting much on them. I tend to be very confident when it comes to penalties and if the coach has confidence in me I wouldn't hesitate to take one again.'' Minutes after the miss Town could have taken the lead themselves but no one was at the far post to get on the end of a Ross Parsons corner on the left as the ball went untouched across goal.

Town were forced to make a first half substitution when Jahmiko Marshall came on for the limping Diallo Sharrieff in the 38th minute.

St. George's began the second half with a period of pressure as Smith turned and shot over the bar in the 49th minute as he tried to make up for his first half miss.

In the 51st minute the deadlock was finally broken with a smart piece of finishing from Laws. He was quick to pounce after a firm shot from an angle on the left by full back Gregg Foggo was parried away from the far post by Davis and Laws side-footed in from a narrow angle.

Town picked up their game after that but the St. George's back four of Andre Todd, Philip Bailey, Quinton Francis and Foggo stood firm with 'keeper Smith commanding in the air.

Dean Minors became the first booking of the match in the 57th minute, for fouling Hasan Durham, and seven minutes later Pernell Douglas had his name taken for a foul on Laws after he tried to race through on the right. From the resulting free kick by Dwayne Richardson the ball skimmed the crossbar.

St. George's, after controlling much of the second half, scored the clincher at a crucial moment when a pass from Don Lewis was intercepted and Minors and Smith combined before Smith drove a 25 yard shot inside the sprawling Davis' left-hand post.

Frustration set in for Town after that and the closest they would come to scoring came in the final minute when a Douglas scorcher whistled past the near post.

"It was a very hard fought and deserved win,'' said Smith. "It's important that we win our league games. Right now the league is more important than anything. One of our players said it's no point holding the FA Cup and going back to the Second Division.'' St. George's: G.Smith; A.Todd, P.Bailey, Q.Francis, G.Foggo; C.Smith, M.Outerbridge, D.Richardson, D.Whitfield, J.Laws (W.Pitt 87 mins), D.Minors.

Dandy Town: C.Davis; D.Lewis, P.Douglas, G.Wilson, H.Durham; K.Martin, D.Sharrieff (J.Marshall 38 mins), T.Lewis (N.Smith 66 mins), R.Parsons, C.Smith, D.Simons.

Referee: Stuart Crockwell Men of the match: Gregg Foggo (St. George's), Ross Parsons (Town).