Evesham continued their pre-season friendlies with a dominant 4-0 victory over Midland League opponents Stourport Swifts. It was another encouraging display by United with a number of impressive performances to give manager Paul Collicutt plenty of food for thought ahead of the big kick-off in two weeks
time.
Bradley Gray netted twice with Nick Stanley and Matt Williams also on target in a one-sided contest on the banks of the river Severn.
United made a great start with Stanley coolly slotting home a 3rd minute penalty after Joel Caines had brought down Jordan Bryan in the box. United continued to press for the rest of the half with James Campbell twice, Ashley Williams and Bryan all forcing Dominic Richards to pull off diving saves. When the Swifts stopper was beaten, Leroy Odiero`s header crashed against the crossbar and over. Swifts best chance arrived on the stroke of half-time when Sam Gilder made a fine point-blank save to keep out skipper Sam Beasley.
Richards made further stops from Gray and Adam Mann early in the second-half before Campbell delivered a right-wing cross to the back post finding Gray who easily tucked away for 2-0 in the 61st minute. The predatory Gray was on target again with eleven minutes to go, this time latching onto Jordan Lymn`s through ball and firing beyond the advancing
Richards into the bottom corner.
For the rest of the game the Red and Whites were in total control and continued to run the Stourport defence ragged. Gray missed a golden opportunity to grab a hat-trick by blazing over and young midfielder Archie Haskayne did likewise soon after. But with five minutes to go, Stanley snaked his way down the left and found Williams who completed the scoring with a well placed header past Richards for goal number four to complete a comfortable win for the Robins.
Collicutt was happy with the exercise and said, “Everyone I had available played some part in the game, apart from Greg Peel who had been ill all week but insisted on travelling. “It was our first friendly away from home and I thought it was a good work-out. I was pleased for Bradley Gray who got a couple of goals and I thought we bossed the game throughout. The only downside were injuries to Leroy Odiero and Paul Fahy, along with Nick Hancock who hobbled off against Pershore Town the previous evening.
“We are progressing nicely and move on to Dorchester Town on Friday night which will be another good test for us.”
UNITED: Gilder, Dovey, Bennett, Bryan (Haskayne 45), Odiero (M.Williams 45),
Stanley, Lymn, A.Williams (Liddiard 45), Campbell (Sheehan 66), Fahy (Gray 28),
Brain (Mann 45)
Sub not used: Peel
Referee: Mr R.Walker (Worcester)
Attendance: 75
