Evesham`s play-off dreams are all but over after a disappointing 2-1 defeat at neighbours Bishops Cleeve in the Evo-Stik Southern South & West Division on Tuesday night. The Villagers were good value for their win and apart from a decent spell in the final fifteen minutes, United never really got going. Home keeper Matt Wieczorek was rarely tested throughout and only after Cleeve`s Shane Bumphrey had been sent off did United step up a gear in what was a must win game for the Red and Whites. The United fans who made up the majority of Cleeve`s biggest crowd of the season, saw Bumphrey score twice before his dismissal which was enough to extract revenge for a 2-0 defeat at the Jubilee Stadium last month. Former Cleeve boss Paul Collicutt relied on the same side that thumped Burnham 5-0 at the weekend, while Cleeve included a number of former United players in their line-up.
United looked the more threatening early doors with Wieczorek forced to make routine saves from Adam Mann and Karnell Chambers. Cleeve skipper Aaron Drake then made a brave block to deny Mann who had skillfully created space for himself in the box. The Mitres were dangerous on the break, Ed Major scooped his shot over and Jack Watts used his pace to get round the back before pulling his shot wide. Liam Harding volleyed the wrong side of a post for United, but with six minutes to go before half-time Steve Cleal`s men broke the deadlock. Cleeve won a free kick on the right and from Jack Horrell`s delivery Humphrey sent a diving header beyond Kevin Sawyer for 1-0.
Soon after the re-start, United fell further behind when Jordan Lymn`s low cross struck a United hand in the box and Bumphrey stepped up to make it 2-0 from the spot. Sawyer then prevented Bumphrey from adding a third making a fine stop after the Cleeve striker was through on goal. Cleeve then suffered a blow when the impressive Bumphrey was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Linden Dovey leaving the hosts to play out the remaining eleven minutes with ten men. United threw bodies forward in an attempt to salvage something from the game and the pressure was rewarded on 84 minutes when Brown pulled a goal back firing low into the bottom corner for his 4th goal in three games. United pressed for an equaliser sending Sawyer up for a succession of corners but with Drake outstanding at the back, Cleeve defended for their lives to cling on for a memorable win.
UNITED:
Sawyer, Dovey, Green, Harding, Sysum, Wellon, Sloggett (Stanley 53), Williams (Wood 60), Mann, Brown, Chambers (Modest 65).
Sub not used: Thompson
Referee: Mr J.Roskelly (Pershore)
Attendance: 176
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