Evesham failed to take advantage of scoring an early goal and had to settle with a 1-1 draw with fellow play-off hopefuls Swindon Supermarine at the Jubilee Stadium on Wednesday night. Mark Magee fired the Robins ahead after just 22 seconds in this rearranged Evo-Stik Southern South & West fixture after the original fixture in February was abandoned due to floodlight failure, but Swindon replied through Josh Parsons just after half-time and the visitors will be kicking themselves for not going on to win the game after missing a number of gilt-edged chances in the second half.
United manager Paul Collicutt was content with the point and said ,”It was a game of two halves, we edged the first and Swindon the second. We made a great start but failed to build on it and in fairness to Swindon they got stronger the longer the game went on. “It was important for us not to lose and to get something from the game and I am happy because the gap between between ourselves and Swindon remains at five points. “As an attacking force they are the best side we`ve played at home this season and they arrived on the back of five straight wins. They`ve been scoring plenty of goals and so to draw wasn`t that bad a result and we go again on Saturday against Taunton Town who are another very good side and firm favourites to finish in the play-offs.
United were gifted the opening goal in the first minute with Ryan Morgan making a hash of a back pass and paving the way for the alert Magee to race clear and fire an excellent shot into the far corner. Swindon responded with Parsons forcing Kevin Sawyer to save at full stretch but it was United who bossed the rest of the half with Magee heading over and then after a good move down the middle, the United striker tested keeper Connor Johns who made a smart stop diving to his left.
Williams impressed in midfield
But two minutes into the second half Swindon got on level terms with Connor Thompson finding Parsons who gave Sawyer no chance with a first-time shot into the roof of the net. Swindon were looking the better side and Parsons should have scored again but to United`s relief he sliced the ball over from just a yard out. The Marine front man was then guilty of another glaring miss when he rolled the ball wide after Sawyer had spilled Morgan`s fierce drive.
United, however, somehow survived and finished the closing stages on top, Bradley Gray hit a rasper from 30 yards that fizzed the wrong side of a post and the impressive Ashley Williams saw a couple of headers fly wide of the
target.
The point was enough to extend United`s unbeaten run to four games but with the challenging prospect of playing five of the top eight sides still to come before the end of the season.
UNITED:
Sawyer, Dovey, Stanley (Fahy 80), Haskayne, Harding, A.Williams, Gray, Bryan, Magee (Smith 61), Mann, Preen (Binns 76).
Subs not used: Sheehan, M.Williams
Referee: Mr R.Watkins (Nuneaton)
Attendance: 211
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