Coventry Copsewood 3 Southam United 3: Southam let slip a two-goal lead as defensive woes continue

Saints took the lead in the second minute when Jack Brighton floated a free-kick into the box and Pawel Tomczak headed down for Louis Bridges to turn and fire home.

It was all square again 60 seconds later as Brighton was caught out of position and Connoll Farrell shot past Tom Cross.

Captain Myles Jones won a strong challenge on the half-way line and the ball was played up to Tomczak, who beat keeper Mitchell Campbell to put Saints back in front with still only seven minutes gone on the clock.

The pace was relentless as Saints went further ahead in the 18th minute. Campbell failed to hold a back-header from Ben Atkins and Bridges set up prolific scorer Mark Bellingham to open his account for the club.

Copsewoood pulled a goal back in the 50th minute with a deflected shot after Cross had saved and Josh Smith then missed a chance for Saints from a corner, shooting over from the edge of the box.

Farrell brought Copsewood level again but there was still time to snatch a late win and both Max Crisp and Tomczak missed golden opportunities in added time.

Saints suffered a second successive 4-0 defeat on Saturday, with a hat-trick from Ricardo Richards propelling Highgate United to the top of the table.

Both teams made a lively start, but it was Saints who had the first scoring opportunities. A good attack was ended when Highgate conceded a corner and then Bellingham, having wrong-footed keeper Connor McCarthy, was denied by a goal- line clearance.

Crisp then had a shot deflected for a corner from which Saints were denied by the post and Highgate broke, with Richards taking advantage of a stretched defence to put them one up.

He was unmarked when doubling the advantage with a powerful header and, after a bright start, Saints were now on the back foot.

Bridges had a good chance in the 26th minute, but shot straight at McCarthy, before Bellingham had to step off the pitch for treatment.

Although Bellingham returned, he had to leave the match at the interval to report for police duty, being replaced by Tomczak.

Richards got his, and Highgate’s, third in the 50th minute, with Connor Mooney completing the rout in the 83rd minute.

Tomorrow, Saints travel to Pershore Town for a Les James Midland Football League Challenge Cup third-round tie and on Tuesday visit Bolehall Swifts.

 Former Saint Simeon Smith scored a hat-trick as Heather St John won 6-1 at Racing Club Warwick.

Jamie Hancocks scored Racers’ consolation.