Match Report: Larkhall Athletic 1 vs Evesham United 2

A heavily depleted Evesham side enjoyed a first league victory since January against Larkhall Athletic despite having midfielder Carl Brown sent-off before half-time and then manager Paul Collicutt ordered to the stands in the second half. Garyn Preen and Mark Magee got the all important goals that clinched a much needed 2-1 win at Plain Ham with Brown controversially seeing red in the 36th minute. The pitch successfully passed an 11-00am inspection but the bad news for Collicutt was Linden Dovey, Leroy Odiero, Lance Smith, Archie Haskayne, Paul Fahy, Joe Turley, Elliot Kennedy and Sam Pearson were all missing, whilst former striker Ashley Edenborough was named on the

bench after a surprise return to the Jubilee Stadium in midweek.

 

Against the odds, United`s first success in six matches was thoroughly deserved and a delighted Collicutt said afterwards, “I was pleased with the way we responded after Carl Brown`s red card. We all came together and there were some very good individual performances out there today. “I felt the sending off was harsh with both players going for a 50/50 challenge, there was no intent on Carl`s behalf and he`s distraught with the decision. “The pitch was woeful but we tried to get the ball down and play football. We deserved the win for the huge amount of effort and hard work the boys put in and I was pleased for Mark Magee who got the winning goal because he worked his socks off all afternoon. “Larkhall have improved under recently appointed Phil Bater and they`re always a difficult side to play against. It was keenly contested and by winning we`ve done something Hereford didn`t do here a few weeks back.”

 

At the beginning and on a difficult surface, it was end to end stuff with both sides creating some decent chances. Adam Mann prodded wide at the back stick and then failed to get a touch to Bradley Gray`s cross, while Joe Tumelty pulled his shot wide and Joe Raynes brushed the United crossbar. Magee and Gray had efforts comfortably saved by Ben John before United opened the scoring in the 30th minute, with Gray and Mann combining to create the opening for Preen who showed his quality by curling home a delightful shot from the edge of the box. The unfortunate Brown then got his marching orders with a tackle in the middle of the park that was deemed reckless to become the eighth United player dismissed this season and 3rd in the last three games.

 

Larkhall made a positive start to the second half and were handed a route back into the game with Tumelty levelling the contest at 1-1 following good work by Greg Peel on his home debut. But the second and winning goal for United arrived on the hour mark, Nick Stanley delivered a peach of a cross from the left and Magee planted a picture header beyond John into the far corner. United`s ten men continued to play some good possession football and little was seen of the home side as an attacking force. Indeed, in the closing stages Magee and Preen both tested keeper John, while substitute Lewis Binns sent over a number of teasing crosses that created all sorts of problems for the Larkhall defence. There were no alarms down the other end and after Collicutt had been sent from the dug-outs, United comfortably saw out eight minutes of added time to return to winning ways and give their play-off hopes a welcome and timely boost.

 

 

Referee: Mr P. Staynings  (Swindon)        

 

Attendance: 176