Southam fall at the first hurdle

On Saturday Saints were dumped out of the FA Cup at the first time of asking, going down 4-1 at West Midlands (Regional) League side Dudley Town.

Saints found themselves a goal down inside two minutes when Niki Faux side-footed a left-wing cross past Ollie Manuel.

A free-kick by Jonathan Watkins was then well saved by Manuel before debutant Lee Thomas slid a shot wide of the post for Saints.

Manuel was by far the busier of the keepers and was forced to make a fine double save after Quentin Townsend had failed to cut out a cross from the right.

Saints’ keeper was then relieved as Faux failed to get enough purchase on his shot after Town had once again got in behind the visitors’ backline.

Home keeper Aaron O’Malley’s uncertainty under the high ball was providing the only glimmer of hope for Southam, but Neil Stacey was unable to capitalise after a Marc Passey cross was spilled, while Simeon Smith got too much on his lob after uncertainty in the Dudley defence had left the goal unattended.

Saints fell further behind in the 54th minute, with Faux latching on to Anthony Cox’s defence-splitting pass and holding his nerve to fire through the backtracking defenders and past Manuel’s outstretched left arm.

Dreniz Bala and Danny Ludlow both wasted gilt-edged opportunities to make the game safe for the Black Country side before Southam halved the deficit with a goal from nothing, Townsend poking home a Craig Watkin corner from close range.

Normal service was quickly resumed, however, with former Brake Alex Cowley hitting the crossbar for Town minutes after coming on as substitute.

Fellow replacements Rion Francis Mills and Grant Joshua then combined to re-establish the two-goal cushion, with Mills turning the ball in at the far post.

Mills tried to repay the favour but Manuel produced a fine stop with his legs.

However, he was powerless to prevent Cowley adding a fourth in injury time, the central midfielder being afforded time and space to fire home from the edge of the box.