Match Report: Burnham 0 vs Evesham Utd 5

It`s now one defeat in 13 games for in-form United who put lowly Burnham to the sword with a comprehensive 5-0 victory at The Gore. The win was United`s 9th in ten games and impressively the seventh time this season they`ve found the back of the net five times or more in the Evo-Stik Southern South & West Division.

It was a crucial game for both sides, at the top and bottom, with the dismissal of Burnham defender Joseph Jarra after four minutes playing a major factor in United`s 10th away win of the season. For United`s first visit to Burnham since the Southern League Division One West encounter in 2003/04, manager Paul Collicutt recalled goalkeeper Kevin Sawyer, Linden Dovey and Cheltenham Town youngster Karnell Chambers to the starting eleven that successfully beatMangotsfield United last time out. The Robins went into the game knowing nothing less than a win would do and got off to a flying start when the hardworking Carl Brown was hacked down in the box by Jarra, who was immediately shown red and leading scorer Adam Mann made light work of sending Cesare Vernazza the wrong way from the spot. In United`s next attack and seven minutes on the clock, Brown superbly back-heeled Jacob Sloggett`s cross beyond the diving Varnazza for 2-0. Burnham continued to be pegged back in their own half and on 13 minutes conceded for a third time with Mann clinically putting away his 31st goal of the season after Brown  had cleverly dummied Chambers` driven cross from the left. The rest of the half was dominated by the Red and Whites and a fourth goal duly arrived on the stroke of half-time, courtesy of Chambers deflected delivery that looped kindly to captain Matt Sysum at the back post, who confidently headed home his 12th goal of the campaign.

At the beginning of the second half Clayton Green thundered a volley against the Burnham woodwork with Vernazza beaten but the remainder of the contest was somewhat of an anti-climax as far as United were concerned. The Robins continued to dominate but added just one more goal before the end. And that arrived in the closing stages courtesy of neat skills from Mann who put the ball on a plate for Brown to stroke in United`s fifth from ten yards.
Then in stoppage-time, Mann squandered a golden opportunity to make it six and complete his hat-trick, but after being took out by Miaal Glanak in the area, Vernnazza guessed the right way to save the strikers penalty-kick.

Looking back over another good win for his side, Collicutt said, “The pitch wasn`t the best but we got the ball down and tried to play football. Burnham are fighting to stay in the league so I knew it would be tough but we kept to our game plan and to score five goals and keep a clean sheet away from home was very pleasing.  With the game won by half-time, I was able to rotate a little in the second half and give all three substitutes a run out which was important.
“We`ve three games to go and nine points at stake, so we`ll continue what we`re doing and see where it takes us.”

EVESHAM UNITED:
Sawyer, Dovey, Green (Stanley 56), Harding, Sysum, Wellon, Sloggett (Modest 70), Williams (Wood 65), Mann, Brown, Chambers.
Sub not used: Thompson

Referee: Mr J.Vallance (Reading)

Attendance: 101