This Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round replay was a very one-sided affair, with the Robins creating an incredible amount of opportunities with the ability to convert them missing on the night. The first goal was scored by Evesham Utd’s early season leading goalscorer Matt Liddiard, when he converted an 18th minute penalty awarded after James Campbell was felled in the box. The Robins kept pushing creating chance after chance with the Newcastle Town goalkeeper Gill managing to keep the ball out of the visitor’s net, the pick of several superb saves was one from a 30-yard Bradley Gray strike which looked like it was going to double the hosts advantage, then came the sucker punch a 45th minute goal from Newcastle’s Arron Bott, a crowded box and a poor clearance led to the goal that sent both teams equal at the break, the price you pay for missed chances.
The second half was much like the first with the Robins creating most of the chances only to be denied time and time again by the Newcastle keeper. In the 65th minute against the run of play Newcastle substitute Sam Wilson who had only been on the pitch for two minutes, broke through the Evesham defence, rounded the keeper and slotted the ball into an empty net to give the visitors the lead. It only took Evesham 3 minutes to get back level, Matt Bennett found the net from a Bradley Gray free kick, managing to squeeze the ball through a crowded box. Despite the Robins still creating chances it was a great piece of last ditch defending by Linden Dovey in the 90th minute, that sent the game into extra time.
Both sides were looking for a breakthrough in extra time, it finally came in 119th minute when Newcastle striker Aaron Bott settled the game, sending the visitors through to the next round, denying the Robins a local derby clash with Stratford Town. The corner count probably tells the story of tonight’s game, Evesham had 19 corners compared to Newcastle’s 3.
Evesham Utd: 1 Sam Gilder 2 Linden Dovey 3 Matt Bennett 4 Archie Haskayne 5 Matt Williams 6 Matt Liddiard 7 Jordan Bryan (Jordan Lymn 94) 8 Bradley Gray (Paul Fahy 75) 9 James Cambell (Greg Peel 69) 10 Adam Mann 11 Lewis Binns (Lorcan Sheehan 104) Subs not used: 14 Ashley Williams 17 Leroy Odeiro 19 Nick Stanley
Newcastle Town: 1 Raavam Gill 2 Sam Bradbury 3 Ricky Bridge 4 Luke Askey 5 James Siley 6 Aaron Carter 7 Aaron Bott 8 Tom Unwin 9 Jordan Cole 10 James Lee 11 Oliver Ritchie Subs: 12 Sam Wilson 14 Jonny Kapend 15 Elijah Gabsi 16 James Griffiths
Goals: Matt Liddiard 18 minutes (Penalty), Aaron Bott 45 minutes, Sam Wilson 65 minutes, Matt Bennett 68 minutes, Aaron Bott 119 minutes
Video here
Attendance: 235
