Alvis Sporting 0 Southam 3: Southam are up and running under Townsend thanks to a Bridges double

The return of Lee Thomas inspired Southam United to a 3-0 win over Alvis Sporting in their away fixture at Banbury Road on Tuesday night.

Louis Bridges, one of a number of players who followed manager Quentin Townsend from Pershore Town, scored twice and full-back Tom Cooper bagged the third as Saints put their last-season woes firmly behind them.

Saints had made a bright start, with Cooper heading just over from a Thomas cross in the fifth minute, but Sporting responded well and it took two fine saves from Tom Cross to keep it goalless.

Thomas put over another good cross, which was cleared, before Oli Manoochehri had a golden opportunity to open the scoring, but he took too long with his shot, allowing keeper Jack Hartopp to block.

Saints kept up the pressure and Cooper scored his first goal for the club, heading in a corner after Hartopp had scrambled away Manoochehri’s effort.

They doubled their lead in the 50th minute when a Thomas cross eluded Declan Price and Bridges beat Hartopp to the ball, scoring with the aid of the post.

It was all over in the 63rd minute as Saints made a quick breakaway with good interplay between Manoochehri, Matty Wyatt and Tunde Ajibade, who squared the ball to Bridges to score his second.

On Saturday, Saints went down 3-0 to league newcomers Hinckley AFC in front of a crowd of 171 at Banbury Road.

The sending-off of Saints keeper Matt Oliver two minutes before the break proved a turning point as the visitors scored three second-half goals to run out comfortable winners.

Oliver was adjudged to have deliberately handled the ball outside the penalty area, with striker with Louis Bridges taking over between the sticks.

Hinckley soon took advantage of their extra man, opening the scoring early in the second half through Luke Richards and it needed a good save by Bridges to deny them a second.

Hinckley doubled their lead in the 61st minute when a breakaway saw a low cross converted by James Melligan.

Former Leamington striker Mark Bellingham came on as a substitute for Hinckley and headed home a corner in the 81st minute to finish Saints off.

Southam are away to Lichfield City tomorrow before entertaining Pilkington XXX at Banbury Road (7.45pm).