Evesham`s biggest crowd of the season witnessed an absorbing five-goal thriller as United edged past a strong Salisbury side 3-2 in the Evo-Stik Southern South & West Division. United who finished the game with ten men, were three goals to the good entering the last ten minutes but then two late strikes by the visitors set-up a grandstand finish with United holding on by the skin of their teeth for an impressive 11th league win in a row and remain second in the table eight points adrift of leaders Hereford.
 
 
Williams deflection & goal

Williams deflection & goal

It might have been a different story had big spending Salisbury put away a series of early chances as United struggled to settle and were second best for the opening 15 minutes or so. After just four minutes Eddie Perrett should have done better but had his header pushed away by ex-Salisbury goalkeeper Kevin Sawyer and then the prolific Justin Bennett contrived to drag the ball wide when he looked odds-on to find the net. After an uncomfortable start, United began to get their game together and were denied an opening goal by Elliot Wheeler who cleared Ashley Williams` header off the line with keeper Alex Bass beaten. Lance Smith glanced just wide but got himself on the scoresheet on 34 minutes for the 20th time this season stooping to head home from close range. It was end-to-end stuff for the rest of the half as Lewis Binns and Paul Fahy fizzed shots wide for the hosts and Sawyer was called upon to make crucial stops from the dangerous Tommy Wright and Bennett.

 
 
During the opening exchanges of the second half Sawyer was relieved to see George Colson`s free kick clear his crossbar and at the opposite end Perrett made a good block to deny Mark Magee. But on 65 minutes United doubled their lead courtesy of the hardworking Williams who cleverly diverted Joe Turley`s shot from outside the box beyond the stranded Bass and into the opposite corner. This gave Paul Collicutt`s men some breathing space but shortly afterwards Binns was shown a straight red card by referee Mr Price for an alleged headbutt on a Salisbury defender, leaving United to see out the remainder of the game with ten men. However, against the odds the Red and Whites increased their lead to 3-0 on 74 minutes when Adam Mann`s corner was met by Nick Stanley whose bullet header from six yards beat Bass all ends up. But in a frantic finish to the game, Salisbury scored twice in three minutes to keep both sets of fans on the edge of their seats. For the second game running United conceded a soft penalty that Wright easily converted and then Bennett`s shot hit substitute Claudio Herbert who was lying on the ground and finished up in the back of Sawyer`s net. The United defence held firm with Liam Harding again outstanding but the Whites came close to stealing a dramatic equaliser deep into stoppage-time only for Brandon Mundy to miscue in front of goal before the final whistle blew to the delight and relief of the United supporters.
 
UNITED:
Sawyer, Dovey, Stanley, Turley (Brown 68), Harding, Sheehan (Odiero 72), Fahy, Williams, Smith, Magee (Mann 63), Binns.
Subs not used: Gilder, Kennedy
 
Referee: Mr R.Price (Birmingham)                      
 
Attendance; 402

Pictures here from Stuart Purfield