Any hopes Evesham United had of repeating last season`s FA Cup heroics were dashed at the first hurdle when Evo-Stik NPL Southern Division Chasetown defeated the Robins in the Preliminary Round at Church Road. United who reached the Fourth Qualifying Round last season, came strong towards the end but never did enough throughout the 90 minutes to get past the renowned FA Cup `giantkillers`.
An uneventful start to the game suddenly changed on 18 minutes when Chasetown won a penalty when Lewis Rankin was sent tumbling in the box by Linden Dovey. However, keeper Kevin Sawyer showed his class with a fabulous one-handed save to keep out Paul Sullivan`s spot-kick. The United stopper produced another top-class save before half-time again denying Sullivan when the Chasetown striker looked odds-on to fire the home side into an interval lead.
Adam Mann tested former United goalkeeper John Bateman with a couple of shots on target in the second half and Nick Stanley did likewise with a low drive to the keeper`s right. But on 77 minutes, two substitutes combined to put Chasetown one-nil in front. Lee Butler made ground down the right before finding Nathan Waite who planted a header into the bottom corner of Sawyer`s net. Bateman then prevented Dovey from equalising for United with a smart save to push over the defender`s well struck drive. However, with the game entering stoppage-time, Chasetown put the tie to bed with a crucial second goal. Richard Davies waltzed through the United defence before slotting-in beyond Sawyer to end the Red and Whites aspirations of another money-spinning run in the world`s greatest Cup competition.
EVESHAM UNITED:
Sawyer, McGrory, Wellon, Williams, Sysum, Dovey, Washbourne (Jackson 66), Wood, Smith (Slack 36), Mann, Green (Stanley 59).
SUBS NOT USED: Harding, Brown
REFEREE: Mr M.Pearson (Dudley)
ATTENDANCE: 168
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