Pershore Town 1, Southam United 0

PERSHORE Town just managed to win Saturday's first Midland Combination match of the new season when substitute Lee Tustin snatched a late goal.

The star of the match was Southam keeper Dean Merrick, who pulled off a string of fine saves.

In the seventh minute, midfielder Joe Maidment came out best in a hard tackle and his 25-yard drive was brilliantly pushed round a post by Merrick.

Two minutes later, a quick throw-in by Paul Dugdale was collected by Simon Brain to hit a far post cross where Tony McLean saw his header superbly saved.

Southam's first attack of the game in the 21st minute looked to be yards offside but Hayden Proctor was allowed to run on goal before firing a shot from 15 yards wide.

Town's summer signing Chris Allen hit a pinpoint cross for Simon Judge to half-volley but a fine reflex save by Merrick prevented a goal and two minutes later the same combination ended with Judge's drive being saved by the diving keeper.

Two minutes into the second half Merrick saved a Brain drive. A corner kick by Brain was then blasted over by Allen, then a cross by Judge was hit inches wide by the midfielder.

In one of the few Southam attacks, Stuart Nichol was denied when defender Chris Jew headed the goalbound effort clear.

Chris White's 65th minute drive was finger-tipped over the bar by Merrick and it looked like there was no way past the visiting custodian.

Tustin, had other ideas though, and he had only been on the field for five minutes when he powered past three defenders to toe poke home the deciding goal that Merrick had no chance of stopping in the 79th minute.

Matthew Young did have a chance to equalise but, from a good scoring position, his strike went across the face of the Pershore goal.

Town lost out to a powerful Leamington side on Tuesday that could easily have trebled their 2-0 margin of victory.

Goalkeeper Myles Day produced a handful of superb saves to keep Pershore in the match, while only Simon Brain threatened the home goal with a first half strike.

However, Town held out until 13 minutes from time when Blake headed in following a corner.

The home fans in the crowd of 413 went home happy when Nicholls scored a second from a similar set-piece on the stroke of the final whistle.