Southam United 3 Alvis Sporting: Saints give and then receive

Manager Lee Knibbs described the second half as “a great comeback” but, in all honesty, they could not have got any worse, with their fragile defence and misfiring attack exploited in full by visiting captain Calvin Thompson.

Saints has their chances, with Oli Manoochehri opting to go for goal when Brad Rees was better placed and leading scorer Simeon Smith missing the target with only keeper Aaron Thomosson to beat a minute before the interval.

Thompson’s first came in the 22nd minute when Saints failed to clear a corner from the left and he thumped the ball home from the edge of the area.

He followed up five minutes later, shrugging off the attention of two defenders to clip the ball over keeper Kieran Conway and into the corner.

While well taken, both were down to some poor Saints defending and it got worse five minutes later as Simon Hicks tripped Leon Kelly and the striker got up to put the spot-kick away despite the best efforts of Conway who got a hand to the ball.

With the wind behind them, Saints started the second half in determined mood. Tom Muldoon set up Smith, who turned and shot, but could not get the ball on target.

However, Smith was instrumental in getting the fightback under way, with Joss Holfold belting home a 55th-minute spot-kick after the striker was upended in the box by Dean Kimberlin.

Holford turned provider three minutes later and Smith rounded Thomosson to tap in number two.

The action was far from over and Andy Hayes could have made it four for Alvis but, with just Conway to beat, he delayed long enough for Hicks to come across to clear.

The momentum, as well as the wind, was now well and truly with Saints and substitute Robbie Stephens picked up the ball just inside the Alvis half and ran with pace and purpose before hitting a fierce shot that went under the keeper for the equaliser.

The hosts could have sneaked an improbable win when Smith thought he had scored from a Jamie Coleman corner on the stroke of full-time, but the referee ruled that the ball had not crossed the line.