Evesham strolled to their second league double of the season against relegation threatened and managerless Bridgwater Town to get their Evo-Stik Southern South & West Division play-off hopes back on track. Despite the narrow margin of victory, there was only going to be one winner with United on the front foot from start to finish and Kevin Sawyer a spectator in the home goal without a shot to save all afternoon. Indeed, the one-sided contest turned into a training session for United in the second-half with Bridgwater content to get ten men behind the ball and offer nothing in attack.
A relieved United boss Paul Collicutt said after the game, “Bridgwater came here with a game plan and credit to them they made life difficult for us. We dominated the entire game and although I wasn`t entirely happy with the performance, the most important thing is we got all three points. “I thought Adam Mann took his goal extremely well and new boy Archie Haskayne was a big plus for me, he replaced Carl Brown early in the game and put in a very confident and polished display. “It`s another big week for us with tough matches against Winchester and Mangotsfield coming up and we`ll be trying our hardest to get maximum points from both games.”
Mann – only goal
United set their stall out from the first whistle, when inside the opening few seconds Lance Smith planted a shot into the side-netting. Young Bridgwater goalkeeper Liam Kingston then kept out United`s top scorer with his legs and star defender Liam Harding powered a header from Lorcan Sheehan`s flag-kick just over. A combination of shots flew towards the Town goal before 17-year-old Kingston produced a wonder save to push out Smith`s close range
header and Nick Stanley prodded the rebound agonisingly wide. But on 33 minutes, United`s frustrations were finally ended courtesy of Mann`s delightful finish when he beat the advancing Kingston with an exquisite lob from around 25 yards. Before half-time, Smith went close to doubling United`s lead but shot wide of a post with only Kingston to beat.
The second-half followed suit with United asking all the questions and Bridgwater defending in depth. Substitute Mark Magee got himself into a good position but fluffed his shot into the side-netting and then got clean through only to have his drive well saved by the impressive Kingston. United continued to press to the end with replacement Lewis Binns breezing down the left and sending over a series of teasing crosses that were not converted by a colleague at the back post. It did get tedious in parts with United continually passing the ball for fun, when at times a more direct approach would have given the inexperienced Bridgwater defence something different to think about.
But at the end of the day it`s three deserved points and gets the Red and Whites back to winning ways after two successive defeats.
Pictures by Stuart Purfield here
UNITED:
Sawyer, Dovey, Stanley, Sheehan (Magee 66), Harding, Williams, Fahy, Brown (Haskayne 18), Smith, Mann, Preen (Binns 72).
Subs not used: Odiero, Kennedy
Referee: Mr G.Hubbard (Halesowen)
Attendance: 285
