Half-time switch gives Saints four from four

Saints warmed up for tomorrow’s FA Carlsberg Vase tie at Stratford Town with a convincing 3-1 win at Brocton, who, prior to the game, were the only other side with a 100 per cent record, writes David Hucker.

Manager Luke Fogarty was delighted with the win, saying: “We didn’t cope with them very well in the first 45 minutes, so I talked at half-time with Andy Taylor and my father Alan about switching things around and, thankfully, it paid off.

“We had tried out a number of formats in pre-season, so that we could adapt when things weren’t going well, and we were much better in the second half, deserving to win.”

However, it had looked as if Saints’ perfect start was about to come to an end when they went a goal down after just seven minutes.

Chances for an equaliser went begging as first Ross Jackson and then Robbie Beard spurned scoring opportunities

Josh Cole headed over a Jack Taylor corner in the 27th minute and the visitors were lucky not to go further behind when Brocton opened up their defence and Andrew Bourne missed an open goal.

The match turned at the interval as Fogarty made two changes, bringing on Tunde Ajibade and Aaron Addison and playing just three at the back as Saints chased an equaliser.

The impact was immediate as Saints piled on the pressure and Beard brought them level in the 53rd minute, knocking the ball in from Neil Stacey’s long throw.

Southam took the lead just two minutes later when Luke Church charged down an attempted clearance and ran through to calmly shoot over Adam Whitehouse.

Ajibade nearly turned in another Stacey throw before David Berks and prolific striker Gary Fife had chances to bring Brocton back level.

Saints made the points safe with 12 minutes to go as Cole controlled Taylor’s cross to shoot home for his fourth goal of the season.

While Saints have had a week to rest and prepare for their visit to Knights Lane, Stratford Town have been busy in the FA Cup.

After a 5-5 draw at Newcastle Town on Saturday, Morton Titterton’s side beat the Northern Premier League side 6-2 in a replay on Tuesday night.

Speaking after replay win, Titterton said: “We have suffered a lot with injuries and things have only started to come together in the last few weeks. It is all about confidence and we are probably as strong now as at any time of the season.

“Southam are going well and we will have to be on our guard. A lot of the players are local and know each other, which adds spice to the match, and we are expecting a tough afternoon.”