Seven-up Southam inflict more misery on struggling Villa

Lee Thomas had a hand in three of Southams seven goals in their thrashing of Pelsall Villa.

Coming into the match, Villa had picked up just one point and suffered a 13-0 defeat at Hinckley AFC along the way.

After doubts over whether they would start the season, the visitors fielded only two substitutes here and there must be a question mark as to how much longer they can continue to soak up this kind of punishment.

To add to their woes, they finished with ten men after Henry Mungwira was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Villa launched the first attack but, from then on, it was one-way traffic and the only surprise about the result was that Saints did not score even more.

Leading scorer Louis Bridges bagged a hat-trick to take him into double figures for the season and Matty Hunt, Brad Rees and Tunde Ajibade, returning after suspension, also got in on the act.

The opening goal came in the tenth minute. Debutant Max Crisp found Bridges and, although keeper Ryan Cheshire parried the shot, Thomas was on hand to put away the rebound.

Midway through the half, Villa began to unravel with Mungwira booked for persistent fouling and then George Rogers being shown yellow shortly after for bringing down Jack Brighton.

They did mount a rare counter-attack, but the shot went wide, before Cheshire brought off two good saves, keeping out a Bridges effort with his legs and then denying Rees.

On the half-hour, a Hunt header from a corner came back off the post and Bridges and Thomas also went close before a lack of concentration in the Saints defence almost let Villa in for soft goal.

But Saints reimposed their authority when Bridges headed home a 39th-minute free-kick and, seconds later, Rees curled in a long-range effort to make it 3-0.

Hunt made it four with a header after the break before Thomas almost got another from a free-kick, but Cheshire punched the ball clear of danger.

Hunt took over the captain’s armband as Ajibade replaced Myles Jones in the 66th minute and Thomas sent in a low cross in for Bridges to convert.

Mungwira received his marching orders and, with eight minutes to go, Saints got a sixth after Liam Marsh handled in the area and Bridges despatched the spot-kick.

Bridges should have had at least two more, but lacked decisiveness when it mattered, before Ajibade wrapped up the scoring from another Thomas cross.

Tomorrow, Saints are at home to Christ the King in the Coventry Telegraph Challenge Cup (3pm).