Weekend round-up: Bards beaten but Bees are buzzing

STRATFORD Town head coach Paul Davis admitted his players gave themselves too much to do after a dismal first half led to a 3-0 defeat at Spalding United in the Southern League Premier Central.

The Bards trailed by two goals at the break and fell further behind within ten minutes of the restart, only forcing the home keeper into a save in the closing seconds.

The lively Joseph Nyahwema curled a shot beyond Jake Weaver for the Tulips 22nd minute opener with Darnell Johnson stabbing home a second ten minutes before the break.

It was game over when Abduramane Sano Sani made it 3-0 on 55 minutes with the best for the Bards coming from half-time substitute Cyrus Bruce who forced an excellent save from Aaron Chapman in added time.

The news was better elsewhere on Saturday with MFL Premier side Studley securing a hard-fought 1-0 win at Wolverhampton Casuals courtesy of a Max Martin goal, a result that edged the Bees back up to sixth in the table.

In Division One of the Hellenic League, FC Stratford were 2-1 winners at home to Newent Town but Southam United lost 3-0 to Clanfield 85. Shipston Excelsior romped to a 10-1 victory at home to Kidlington FC A in the Oxfordshire Senior League and there were mixed fortunes in the cup with Earlswood Town breezing into the semi-finals of the Coventry Charity Cup following their 8-0 demolition of Coventry Alvis only for Alcester Town to lose 2-1 against Bustleholme in the Birmingham FA Saturday Vase.