Earlswood Town 0-2 Droitwich Spa

An solid all-round away performance against an in form Earlswood Town side gave the Saltmen the perfect end to 2016 and also ended the Earls' 5 game unbeaten run.

From the off Spa, playing in their all-blue 3rd strip, attacked with intent and kept the ball well - Seabourne sent an early chance wide whilst moments later a slip from Mitchell Hodge let James Lemon in. He squared the ball to Haydn Morris but he could only fire straight at the on-rushing Thompson in the home goal.

Macauly Finch, Nick Seabourne and Max Crip all had other efforts off target and Droitwich struggled to turn their possession & chances into goals.

At the other end, Seeley and Hunt, now forming a formidable partnership, kept Matt Oliver's goal from any danger, however on 20 minutes an unusual back-pass from Jamie Smith under pressure from the lively Anton Nunes was collected by Oliver a matter of yards from his goal line.
The stopper made amends though as he charged down and did well to parry away the resultant free-kick.

Then James Lemon was substituted after agrivating his injury sustained in the home game with Hampton. His replacement Aston Gunter wasted no time getting involved in the game - a hat-trick of chances before the break all fell to him but he failed to call Thompson into action.

The first half ended all square with Spa well on top, however Earlswood came out alot more threatening for the second period.
Both Danny Holliday and Nicky Playdon were put through within the opeing 10 minutes but some superb last ditch tackles from Hunt and Szikora denied them efforts on goal.

It wasn't long before Spa got back into their stride though - chances came and went for Sebourne, twice for Finch and Haydn Morris - whose header looped just the wrong side of the cross-bar.

As the time counted down the sizeable away contingen were wondering if they were ever going to see a goal, however on 80 minutes Macauley Finch made a burst into the box and was adjudged to have been brought down by Hodge despite little protet from the visitors.

Max Crisp stepped up and confidently powered the ball low in to the bottom left hand corner giving Thomson no chance.

It wasn't long before Spa notched a second. A pin-point cross from Morris was headed back across goal by Seabourne and Finch was there to nod home his second goal in as many games to seal the points.

That said, the Earls then played some of their best football of the game - Oliver having to make a couple of saves from Holliday in the closing few minutes, but it was Droitwich who went home happy after fiishing 2016 with a flourish.