Fogarty frustrated by lack of firepower

Manager Luke Fogarty described the result as an “absolute sickener”. He added: “We were the best team for long periods, but couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net. It’s been the story of the last few weeks.

“Since we lost Andy Millan to Dosthill Colts we have lacked a target man and, despite trying different combinations up front, it is just not happening for us.”

Saints made a lively start without creating any real chances and Jim Stott kept them in the game with a good save in the 27th minute.

But despite the visitors playing the better football, the teams went in deadlocked at the interval.

Copsewood were reduced to ten men in the 56th minute following an elbow to the face of Jack Taylor, which resulted in the Saints player receiving treatment to swelling over his eye and playing no further part.

Richard Robinson took Taylor’s place and twice went close, shooting over the bar and also being denied at the near post.

Danny Vincent struck for Copsewood against the run of play in the 89th minute but Saints had the chance of an equaliser seconds later, only for Anvinder Thiara to shoot over.

Copsewood punished Saints further with a second goal in added time from David Freeman.

After three league defeats in a row, Saints had stopped the rot when sharing the spoils with Massey Ferguson at Banbury Road on Saturday.

They went behind in the 22nd minute when Jim Stott just failed to keep out Scott Devlin’s spot-kick after a Quentin Townsend foul in the box.

After Tunde Ajibade hit the side netting, Saints got back on level terms in the 32nd with a penalty of their own, converted by Taylor after Ajibade was tripped.

They could have taken the lead just a minute later, but Townsend headed wide from a Taylor free-kick.

Substitute Richard Robinson went close just after the hour-mark when completing a good move involving John Blunsom and Ajibade, but his shot was well saved by Massey keeper Mark Shiels.

Ajibade shot wide with the goal at his mercy while at the other end the legs of Stott came to Saints rescue as Massey threatened.

Blunsom was taken to hospital with a suspected broken ankle and, although the injury is not as bad as first feared, he faces a race to get fit for the May’s Coventry Telegraph Challenge Cup final against Alvis at the Ricoh Arena.

Tomorrow, Saints are at home to Dosthill Colts (3pm) and on Tuesday they entertain Castle Vale JKS (7.45pm).