Match Report - Southam United vs Milton United

MATCH

REPORT

Hellenic League Division 1, Bobby Hancocks Park, 13.08.22SOUTHAM UNITED 0

MILTON UNITED 3

(Thomas 10’, Joyce 16’, Woodley 42’)

Even after a positive and competitive start, it still wasn’t meant to be for the Southam Saints against the visiting Milton United FC.

The day promised to be a hot contest, not only with the sky-high temperatures, but with the home side welcoming a very in-form team in Milton. The side has yet to drop any points, and has yet to score less than 3 goals in a match.

However, Southam United started with some positive movements in and around the box, with multiple crosses find their way into dangerous spots. Forward Jay Lawes managed to get on the end of some positive play at the top of the box and unleashed a goal-bound shot, but it managed to just clip the crossbar, falling harmlessly for the opposition.

It didn’t take long for the visitors to bounce back from that chance, as they went down the other end within a minute and got their first goal of the match. Milton’s left side winger created a great chance through a cross along the ground and forward Harry Thomas got his foot on it to put it past an outstretched Lewis Hudson and into the back

of the net.

Not long after, in the 16th minute, a Milton attacker was brought down in the box by right-back Sol Bloomer and the referee deemed it an offense worth a penalty. Milton’s Louis Joyce stepped up to the spot and buried the penalty without hesitation.

28 minutes into the match brought a blow for the

Saints in returning addition, Kyle Locklin, needing medical treatment for an injury. He’s second debut for the club would be cut short after a problem with his calf from a runin with an opposing player left him unable to continue and he was replaced by Simon Barby.

After some great saves from keeper Lewis Hudson the visitors struck again just before the end of the half. Milton’s number 5, Matthew Woodley, converted a free-kick with a curling shot from the top of the box. Hudson got to the ball but it wasn’t enough to keep it out of the back of the net for Milton’s third of the day.

The second half proved stronger for Southam in some ways, and more difficult in others. The Saints managed to shutout the ever-attacking Milton side for the second 45, but also saw forward Ethan Champkins and Assistant Coach Lee Petch pick up red cards for issues both on, and off, the pitch.

Speaking after the match Head Coach Richard Kay mentioned it felt a bit like “groundhog day” from the previous matches.

“We started off really well, creating chances, Jay hitting the bar, and after the first 20 minutes we’re bang in the

game, and then within a 10 or 15 minute period we’re bang out of the game because of bad decision making and sloppy goals.

“Don’t get me wrong, we knew Milton were a good side and it was going to be a tough game, but we were playing well with a lot of momentum, and then we’re out of the game.

“The reaction though was good at half-time. We asked them can we at least get a result out of the second half, and the boys kept it at 3-0.

“Obviously playing for 30 or 35 minutes with only 10 men wasn’t ideal, but what it did do was show that we can defend properly and be organised.

“In terms of squad rotation, it was important that we rested four or five as it was our third game in seven days. We always want to put out a settled side, however, with that many games in so few days its impossible to keep playing the same players. We’ve tried to get through the tricky period, especially without any injuries, and we managed to do that, and sometimes you have to bite the bullet and make some changes.”

Southam are away next in a midweek match up at FC Stratford on Wednesday 17 August with kickoff at 7:45pm.

SOUTHAM UNITED: Hudson, Bloomer (Mauritson 77’), Green (Speed 68’), Neale, Locklin (Barby 28’), Yeates, Ellis Champkins, Ethan Champkins, Drummond (O’Brien 45’), Lawes, Dixon (Osborne 45’). subs not used: N/A

MILTON UNITED: Bloomfield, Cooper, Goddard (McCormack 29’), Joyce, Kennedy (Godfrey), Mungall, Organ, Sturgess, Thomas (Lee), West (Moore), Woodley (Woodall)