Ten-man Southam are sent crashing

Captain John Blunsom became the fourth Saints player to be given a red card this season as their promotion hopes were dealt a blow by Earlswood Town, writes David Hucker.

With both leaders Bolehall Swifts and second-placed Castle Vale losing, this was a missed opportunity for Saints to close the gap at the top. The sending-off of Blunsom for a two-footed lunge in the first half did not help their cause but they had enough chances to earn at least a point.

The visitors forced an early corner and, with the ball only half-cleared by Charlie Neale, it was picked up by Andy Rowe, whose shot was deflected into the arms of keeper Matt Oliver.

Earlswood had a second corner minutes later and again Rowe was on hand, but his effort was blocked by the Saints defence.

Saints counter-attacked through Marc Passey and Brad Rees, with Luke Church’s cross being cleared.

But it was Earlswood who continued to hold the upper hand, forcing their fifth corner inside the opening ten minutes, with the ball flashing cross the Saints goalmouth with nobody on hand to tap in.

Despite being down to ten men, Saints took the lead five minutes before half-time courtesy of a Jack Taylor penalty after Oli Manoochehri had been brought down.

As the second half opened, Matt Ross headed a Taylor corner over the bar before Passey cleared off the line for Saints.

Earlswood got the ball in the net through Django Farrell, but the effort was disallowed for a foul on Oliver, and then Richard Prosser met Laurence Martin’s cross, only to send his header straight at the keeper.

The goal Earlswood had been threatening came in the 57th minute when Reece Hewitt picked up a loose ball from yet another corner to volley home.

Oliver kept Saints in the game with a double save from Farrell and Alex Lewis before denying Farrell again, only for Martin to fire home the rebound to put the visitors ahead.

Saints had chances to draw level in the final ten minutes, with substitute Luke Swinnerton having a shot deflected for a corner and Rees delaying too long when well placed.

Arguably, the best chance fell to Andy Millan, who put a free header from a Church corner straight at keeper Mark Shiels with just a minute remaining.

While disappointed with the result, chairman Charles Hill is still optimistic for the rest of the season, saying: “Although we had enough chances to win and close the gap at the top, with both Bolehall Swifts and Castle Vale losing, we haven’t lost ground on them.

“But can’t afford any more slip-ups if we are to be genuine title-challengers.”

Saints travel to bottom-of-the-table Walsall Wood tomorrow.