Smith strike shatters Swifts

With leaders Brocton losing for the second successive Saturday, a point apiece enabled both sides to edge closer to the top, although Swifts may well feel they had done enough to have won all three.

“We couldn’t get out of our half against the wind, but turned things round after the break,” said Saints boss Lee Knibbs.

“We kept on going and believing in ourselves right to the end and fully deserved the goal.”

Swifts had the advantage of the wind in the first half and created a number of chances. As it was, they scored only once thanks to a thunderous 25th-minute free-kick from Adam Goodby that went in off the underside of the bar.

Smith, playing against one of his former clubs, had an early chance following good play between Joss Holford and Marc Passey, but lacked decisiveness at the crucial moment. Saints’ only real goal attempt came in the 25th minute when Smith and Oli Manoochehri worked an opening for Ryan Caputo, who blasted his shot high from the edge of the area.

Swifts could have gone ahead as early as the seventh minute when two players were waiting in the box for a cross from the right, but Passey, who was the lone defender, headed clear to avert the danger. Kieran Conway comfortably saved a long-range effort from Chris Cowley and then held on to a free-kick struck straight at him.

Jamie Coleman fouled the ever-threatening Kyle Turner and Cowley’s free-kick drifted just wide of the post before Conway saved with his legs from Turner after two players bore down on goal from an offside position.

Manoochehri almost brought Saints level just after the break but Tom McNulty managed to push the ball on to the post and it was scrambled away for a corner.

A Coleman corner from the right was headed on by Andy Wilson-King to Simon Hicks who shot high and wide, before another inswinging Coleman kick hit the post and bounced over.

Swifts were causing plenty of trouble at the other end, mastering the wind better than Saints had done in the first half and the impressive Turner could easily have made the match secure before Smith struck in the seventh minute of added time, heading powerfully home from Holford’s corner.

Tomorrow, Saints entertain Alvis Sporting.