Football
Saints enjoy sweet revenge

Earlswood Town 2 Southam United 3

SAINTS avenged their home defeat by Earlswood Town last month thanks to a late winner from Mark Briggs that saw them close the gap on Bolehall Swifts at the top of the Athium Midland Combination Premier Division to five points.

Saints should have opened the scoring after just four minutes when Jack Taylor set up Marc Passey, but his low shot was placed too near to home keeper Mark Sheils.

Neil Stacey mis-kicked with the goal at his mercy and, as Saints forced two consecutive corners, Howard Forinton shot straight at Sheils.

But, the on-loan striker was to get his goal in the 37th minute, when shooting low and hard across the keeper into the far corner to give Saints the lead.

Taylor then shot over from long range when a pass to Stacey or Forinton might have been the better option and the returning Jim Stott kept the lead intact when saving with his legs, with Briggs heading off the line to complete the clearance.

Then, on the stroke of half-time, Saints failed to clear a corner and Richard Prosser equalised.

Substitute Junior Hewitt should have given Earlswood the lead after the restart, but shot wide, before Saints had an effort by Stacey disallowed for a foul on the keeper.

Earlswood were forced to play the last half hour with ten men after captain Steve Darlington was booked for the second time in the match when pulling back Forinton and the Saints hit-man was then denied by the legs of Sheils from a narrow angle.

Saints regained the lead in the 74th minute when Charlie Neale was fouled in the area and Taylor fired the penalty low and hard into the bottom left corner.

Sloppy defending proved costly as Junior Hewitt brought Earlswood back on terms within 60 seconds but Saints grebbed the winner when substitute Tunde Ajibade set up Briggs whose stunning 30-yard shot flew into the top right-hand corner.

Saints are hoping for a big crowd when they entertain fourth-placed Coventry Copsewood at Banbury Road on Saturday (3pm). Fans can take advantage of a special offer of admission, programme and drink from the bar for £7. Season ticket holders and members will pay just £2.