For the second time this season Evesham United finished a fixture with only nine men losing to struggling Taunton Town at the Spiers and Hartwell Jubilee Stadium. Simon Fitter and Carl Brown both received their marching orders either side of half-time enabling Taunton to claim their first away win of the season.
There was no sign of things to come when Marcus Palmer shot United into a 6th minute lead with an unstoppable finish past Christian Watt. The game then turned on its head when Taunton replied with three goals to race into a commanding lead just before the half-hour. Craig Herrod pulled the Peacocks level firing into the bottom corner after the United defence had failed to clear the lines, then two goals in seven minutes swung the game Taunton’s way. United skipper Matt Sysum tangled with James Blake inside the area and Simon Ingram easily scored from the spot. Herrod then ran unchallenged to beat keeper Tom Cross and put the visitors 3-1 ahead. Palmer pulled a goal back with his 12th of the season and keep Evesham within touching distance, but a moment of madness saw Fitter red carded before half-time leaving Paul West’s side a mountain to climb in the second half.
Within two minutes after the re-start Cross could only push Herrod’s drive into the path of Blake who easily
found the net for Taunton’s fourth. The game slipped further away from United in the 55th minute when striker Brown received a second yellow card to reduce the Robins to just nine men. Evesham battled bravely to the end but Taunton’s two-man advantage saw them easily see out time to bag their first three points on the road.
Evesham United: Cross, Kalonji, Hyde, Sysum, Downing, Williams, Fitter, Blake, Palmer (Kandekore 83), Brown, Queson
Subs not used: Spence, Hutchcox, Turner, Gill
Referee: Mr M Amphlett (Kidderminster)
Attendance: 194
Match Sponsors: Hardings International Coaches, Droitwich
Match Ball Sponsor: Colin and Robin Such
Pictures by Stuart Purfield