It did not take long for this Evo-Stik Southern League West fixture to come to life, with Evesham’s Powell hitting the side netting in the 2nd minute from a superb through ball from Fahy. The game continued with both teams fairly even, it was Didcot who were the next to squander a good opportunity, putting a free kick from the corner of the box straight over Evesham’s crossbar.
The small number of travelling Didcot fans did not have to wait too long for another opportunity, only this time it was not too be wasted, Didcot’s Cattell met a superb cross with an equally superb unstoppable header, which gave the Evesham keeper Sawyer no chance and the visitors a deserved lead.
Sawyer saved penalty
Undeterred by going behind Evesham at this point took the game to Didcot, so much so that the visitors could not get out of their half for the next 15 minutes. The opportunities came for The Robins with Dovey making a surging run into the box in the 24th minute, but an advancing Powell was unable to control the ball. The chances were starting to come for Evesham the next being just four minutes later. A Liddiard header form a Sheehan corner flashed across the front of Didcot’s goal, sadly with no Robin to put the ball in the back of the net, leaving Didcot with a clean sheet and a 1-0 lead as both teams headed off the park for half time.
With the second half underway Didcot were starting to show they meant business, closing Evesham down whenever the home side had the ball, the home sides first opportunity of the second 45 came just six minutes in Moore headed over the bar from a Sheehan corner. This was one of Evesham’s 12 corners compared to Didcot’s 1 which is a statistic that tells its own story about the game.
Didcot stuck to their task getting forward whenever the opportunity to break came along and were rewarded in the 55th minute with a penalty, following an error from Bennett & an Odeiro foul on Didcot’s Reid. Reid then took the penalty which was superbly saved by the Evesham keeper Sawyer.
Still the home side battled to get back into the game with a Mann free kick going just wide and a Powell shot following a goalmouth scramble unable to find the net however, it was Didcot’s latest signing Barcelos who was to put the game to bed when he found himself in acres of space on the edge of the box and picked his spot, putting the ball wide of the Evesham keeper.
Evesham came very close to scoring a late consolation when Moore hit the post from close range but, it was Didcot who took three well deserved points away from The Jubilee much to the disappointment of the 229 strong home crowd.
Evesham Utd: Sawyer, Dovey (Odiero 50), Bennett, Sheehan (Mann 60), M Williams, Liddiard, Bryan, Brown (Haskayne 60), Moore, Powell, Fahy. Subs: Odiero, A Williams, Mann, Haskayne, Binns
Didcot Town: Bedwell, Edkins, McNeill, Hayden, Cattell, Learoyd, Reid (Pin 66), Alexis (Woodley 33), Barcelos, Humphries, Barder. Subs: Woodley, Jeacock, Joyce, Pin, Ballard
Goals: Cattell 10 minutes, Barcelos 75 minutes
Attendance: 229
Photos by Stuart Purfield here
Video highlights here
