Match report: Salisbury 0 Evesham United 0
Off Salisbury FC website By Alec Hayter
Evesham got what they came for – a point, and had to rely upon ex-Salisbury stopper Kevin Sawyer who made three crucial saves in the first half to keep his side on terms. It was always going to be a tough encounter with fellow promotion contenders, but although it ended goalless on this occasion, the Whites can be more content with the balance of play during the match. I think it is acknowledged that Sawyer is one of the best goalkeepers in the Division, and he always proves to be a thorn in our side, and possibility for other opponents. What a pity he didn’t keep his promise to retire which he made after the playoff Semi-Final defeat at the Ray Mac last season!
Salisbury started brightly and Sawyer was first called into action in the second minute, diving low to his right after Kane O’Keefe had given Chris Shephard the opportunity of testing him with a well aimed shot, but Evesham too created a chance three minutes later when a deflected cross from their right found Lewis Powell who headed harmlessly over the top.
To complete an “end-to-end” period (virtually the only one of the game) Sawyer did well to keep out a 25 yard effort from Lewis Benson on eight minutes, but then the play was mostly restricted to midfield until just before the half-hour mark when Rhys Baggridge headed over the bar from a corner. Just seconds later it was again Sawyer who thwarted the Whites, making a third good save, this time from O’Keefe, who had benefited from a good combination between Shephard and Benson, and it was beginning to be one-way traffic as Baggridge put his header just past the upright on the half-hour mark from Tom Whelan’s corner.
On 36 minutes another good move, this time between Danny Young and George Colson, saw the ball go across the box where O’Keefe’s back-heeled effort struck the post, and just as it seemed that the Whites were really going to profit from their efforts, the best piece of skill seen so far from Shephard saw him suffer another hamstring injury, and the sad sight of his being carried off on a stretcher certainly dampened the mood.
Unfortunately it seems that he will be missing for a considerable time because of the severity of the injury.
There was no further goalmouth action before the interval but shortly afterwards Tom Whelan struck a free kick narrowly over from just outside the box, before, on 59 minutes, a cross from Evesham’s Jordan Bryan gave Leroy Odiero a headed opportunity which was wasted.
As the last 20 minutes started the Whites were exerting more pressure with another chance falling to Whelan. Some desperate defending saw the ball break out towards the midfielder but he could not keep a half volley down from the edge of the box.
On 72 minutes Salisbury thought they had scored the crucial goal. It had always seemed that one goal would settle the match and when a Marvin Brooks effort was touched in by Stuart Green it appeared that the points were staying in Wiltshire, but the assistant’s flag denied the Whites.
There was more to come however, and with 12 minutes remaining a long throw from Eddie Perrett saw Claudio Herbert have an effort deflected over the top. Shortly afterwards Herbert had a golden opportunity to grab the points after Brooks headed the ball into his path, and Herbert, with time and space at his disposal, might well have taken a touch, but instead tried the spectacular with a first-time connection ballooned well over the bar. That was, apart from the disallowed goal, by far the best second-half chance the Whites had created, but although they were restricted to a one point reward instead of three, there was nearly a sting in the tail and it could so easily have been a nil return when Evesham produced only their third opportunity on 82 minutes, Paul Fahy allowed a passage along the edge of the Salisbury box before hitting a right foot shot well wide of the target.
This match was in many ways, at a higher level, a return to the days of teams coming to the Ray Mac with an intention not to lose, but with little other aspiration. The entertainment value for a very good crowd was lessened by the actions of Referee James Robinson who, perhaps with more decisive action in the first half especially, and less lecturing, could have avoided the stop-start nature of the match (with the emphasis on stop). That of course was exactly what Evesham wanted, and in no way helped the flow of the game or the entertainment value for a very good crowd of 650.
It’s not rocket science to know where Salisbury’s problems lie in breaking down teams such as Evesham and efforts continue to address that situation, but it also certainly doesn’t help when the services of one of the side’s main playmakers are again lost through injury.
Salisbury supporters will be pleased to know that although Lewis Benson had to leave the field, apparently this was the result of having a dead leg and therefore he should be available for our next game at Winchester City on Friday evening. At present, it seems that watching Salisbury play away from home can be more rewarding in some ways and I fully expect us to take something from our visit to our near neighbours, but as always, a strong Salisbury travelling support can help.
Teams
Salisbury FC: Searle, Colson (Green 63), Perrett, Whelan, Baggridge, Wheeler, Benson (Herbert 50), Roberts, O’Keefe, Shephard (Brooks 37), Young.
Subs not used: Dawson, Hart.
Evesham United: Sawyer, Dovey, Binns, Haskayne, Odiero, Williams, Bryan (Gray 67), Liddiard (Sheehan 76), Moore, Powell (Fahy 81), Mann.
Subs not used: Brown, Williams
Attendance: 650 Referee: J Robinson (Bassett)
