Southam sunk at home by playoff hopefuls Malmesbury Victoria

Coming off the back of back-to-back defeats in both league and cup, the South Warwickshire side were looking for a response against high-flying Malmesbury in the first of a home double-header over the Easter weekend. The Southam ground staff did well to get the fixture on after weeks of what seemed like endless rainfall left the surface in uneven, patchy condition.

Southam began well, unfazed by the free-scoring opposition, Josh Turton spurning a good chance in the second minute, scraping the ball just wide after a smart counter. Turton was guilty again six minutes later, his control letting him down after a cheeky lofted through ball from deep by Champkins.

Malmesbury established their attacking threat in the fifteenth minute, Craig Watkin with a piece of individual defensive brilliance to block a rasping effort that looked goal-bound. Watkin was in the thick of it again ten minutes later, throwing himself acrobatically across goal to deny another good looking Malmesbury attack.

The Wiltshire side found the Saints in a stubborn mood, the defence repelling the insistent Malmesbury forward line, debutant Jack Shepherd acquitting himself well on a number of occasions as the visitors surged forward. The impressive Kostiuk up front turned in an industrious performance, holding the ball up well and bringing the fullbacks into play when the ball was turned over for the home side.

The Southam resistance was broken in the thirty seventh minute, Danny Gudger latching onto a loose pass in midfield and racing through to finish smartly under the dive of Lewis Hudson. The Malmesbury advantage was doubled just five minutes later when the ball was sent flashing across goal for the Malmesbury left sided forward to tap in at the far post.

Keen to respond, the Saints came forward, a smart turn and shot by Kostiuk just before the break not gambled on by anyone in a blue shirt, a good Southam effort to reply going seemingly begging.

In the second period, a good block from Kyle Linford just after the break kept the scoreline at two. Shane Osbourne found himself clean through after good work in midfield by club captain Andy Yeates, the Southam forward frustrated to be denied by the flag of the linesman.

Things got worse for the home side on sixty-three when Ryan Harris was left for dead on the edge of the box, the impressive Kyle Witt extending the Malmesbury lead to three. The visitors completed the rout when a long up and under caught Southam stopper Hudson flat footed and in no mans land, the ball looping over him to be bundled home by Witt for his second.

Speaking after the match, manager Lee Walkinshaw said ‘I think the lads did well. It was a good contest for the first thirty minutes, unfortunately the conditions were a challenge, and we have to give credit to the ground staff and our brilliant volunteers for getting the game on. Malmesbury are a good side and they are where they are for a reason’.