Brocton 5 Southam United 1: Fife treble kills off Southam

Oli Manoochehri scored Southams consolation in their defeat to Brocton.

A penalty from Oli Manoochehri in the third minute of added time was no more than a consolation after Saints had been taken apart by the league leaders and the defeat must surely spell the end of any hopes the visitors had of challenging for the title.

After poor first-half performances in their previous two matches, Saints started this encounter determined to put up a better showing and Adam Whitehouse had to be at his best to deny first Simeon Smith and then Manoochehri.

But, with their first attempt on target, Brocton took the lead as a cross from the left went beyond Kieran Conway to the far post where the unmarked Paul McMahon, a late replacement for the delayed Richard Allen, headed home unchallenged.

Whitehouse again denied Saints, saving a Smith shot from distance and then going low to his left to stop a fierce Marc Passey drive.

Brocton hit back and Conway failed to hold a low shot from Fife and the ball fell to Daniel Lomas, who put his effort wide with the goal at his mercy.

Smith was fouled outside the penalty area, but Passey’s free-kick drifted wide of the far post and Simon Hicks headed over from an inswinging Jamie Coleman corner from the right.

The half ended with Coleman winning the ball out on the left and crossing to Smith, whose header was cleared by Andrew Bourne.

There was little indication of what was to come when, within five minutes of the restart, Joss Holford burst through the home defence to create another goalscoring chance for Saints.

That was the nearest they were to come for the rest of the match as Brocton gave a masterclass in finishing to hit four more goals.

They doubled the lead in the 54th minute when Fife stooped to head home a Jamie Evans free-kick and Fife then scored the goal of the match, collecting the ball on the edge of the area and turning to send an unstoppable shot past Conway.

David Ablewhite set up Lomas to hit a right-foot shot for number four in the 79th minute and Fife completed his hat-trick with five minutes to go with a low free-kick.

Saints are without a match this weekend.

 Racing Club Warwick slipped to a single-goal defeat at home to fellow strugglers Blackwood.