Football
Saints step up promotion push

Southam United 3 Cadbury Athletic 2

SAINTS maintained their Athium Midland Combination Premier Division promotion push with a hard-fought New Year’s Eve win over Cadbury Athletic that took them into second place behind Bolehall Swifts.

Missing captain John Blunsom and striker Andy Millan through suspension, manager Luke Fogarty introduced the experienced Howard Forinton on loan from Daventry Town, with the returning Mark Anderson on the bench.

Saints applied pressure right from the kick-off and took the lead after just two minutes. Jack Taylor set up James Hardie, whose cross from the left was met by Luke Church and, although Cadbury keeper Shaun Hayes saved his first effort, Church got up from the floor to tap into the empty net.

Taylor doubled the lead in the 10th minute, confidently scoring from the penalty spot after a low cross from Brad Rees was handled by a defender.

But Cadbury reduced the deficit just four minutes later when the home defence went to sleep at a quickly taken free-kick and Adrian Parkes scored at the second time of asking after Matt Oliver had saved his first effort.

Marc Passey finished off a good run with a shot that went just wide in the 25th minute before Oliver made a great save to keep the Saints’ lead intact.

But, Stuart Butcher levelled the scores four minutes before the interval with a long-range effort into the top corner, leaving the match nicely balanced.

Oli Manoochehri restored Saints’ advantage early in the second half, scoring from a tight angle.

But, the match was far from over, as Cadbury were denied another equaliser, firstly by a late saving tackle from Charlie Neale and then by a post. As Saints held on to their slender lead, Butcher went close to snatching draw.

“We went 2-0 up early on and thought that it would be another easy win” said Fogarty. “But, even though Cadbury levelled, we had the better of the second half and I always thought that our quality would see us through.”

Saints visit Earlswood Town on Saturday and will be looking to avenge their 2-1 home defeat at the beginning of December.

Meanwhile, Racing Club Warwick were frustrated by the weather as their scheduled Premier Division clash at Bartley Green on Saturday was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Racing, who have not played since December 10, visit fellow Premier Division rivals Bloxwich United in round three of the Les James Memorial Challenge Cup this Saturday.