Millan brace puts Southam to the four

BARTLEY GREEN1

Another man-of-the-match display from midfielder James Hardie and two goals from in-form striker Andy Millan set Saints up for their fourth league win in a row on Saturday, writes David Hucker.

Saints have been beaten just twice in the Athium Midland Combination this season and Millan’s first-half strikes were enough to avenge their 1-0 defeat at Bartley Green last month.

Having re-signed the striker earlier this month, manager Luke Fogarty was delighted to see Millan continue his hot streak.

“Andy wasn’t in the game for his first outing with us and I took him off in the second half,” said Fogarty. “But, he has struck twice in each of the last two matches and is looking more like the Andy Millan of old.”

It was not all plain sailing as the visitors took the lead in the 13th minute when Adamou Jallow’s well-struck shot was diverted past keeper Matt Oliver.

With the ball becoming more greasy as the match progressed, visiting keeper Adam Marusiak needed three attempts to hang on to a John Blunsom corner before fumbling a Millan shot. Millan went close again for Saints from a free-kick but Marusiak got to the ball just ahead of him to clear the danger.

However, the Saints hitman was on hand to bring his side level in the 36th when he pounced on a ricochet in the penalty area to bury the ball into the corner of the net.

Some good interplay between Millan and Danny Bartle set up Luke Swinnerton but his goalbound effort was cleared for a corner. Blunsom floated the ball to the far post where Millan rose unchallenged to send in a powerful downward header which bounced high into the net to put the home team ahead.

Saints almost made it three at the start of the second half. Brad Rees surged over the half-way line, leaving three defenders in his wake, and his low cross was heading for Millan’s out-stretched boot until Marusiak flung himself off his line to fingertip the ball away from danger.

Although not a vintage performance by Saints, the three points kept them in second place behind unbeaten Bolehall Swifts.

Tomorrow, Saints continue their defence of the Coventry Telegraph Challenge Cup when they travel to Alvis.