This game saw Evesham who were 4th from the top of the Evo-Stik League South Division One South taking on Slimbridge, who were 4th from the bottom. At the end of the first 45 minutes the score would have led you to believe the difference between the 2 sides was not as big as their league positions would suggest.
In an error strewn first half with both sides making unforced errors it was the home side that created the better chances. The first chance came within 2 minutes of the start, Kye Simpson broke away from his markers down the left, an advancing Lewis Adams in the Slimbridge goal denied The Robins an early lead with a fine save.
The roles were reversed when Kye played in his brother Kane, the angle of his shot was too tight. With the game appearing to be another ‘Simpson Show’ Kane had a shot cleared off the line by The Swans defender Dean Turner, then on 25 minutes a groan seemed to go all around the ground when a superb strike from Kane hit both goalposts and somehow did not go in.
Evesham were definitely the better of the 2 sides as the first half came to a close, with the visitors offering very little in the way of attacking football until the 44th minute when Hannah was called on to make a double save, the 1st shot from Danny King and the follow up shot from Steven Jackson both saved to keep thing all level at the break.
As the second half got underway it looked as though it would have a similar feel to the first, that was not the case as Slimbridge appeared to get stronger as the game went on.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 58th minute, the ‘Simpson Strike Partnership’ that has become very formidable in recent weeks struck again. Kye drove into the heart of the Slimbridge defence before his superb strike hit the base of the post from 20 yards, no problem as Kane was on hand to tuck the rebound past Lewis Adams in the visitor’s goal.
With Slimbridge starting to show that they were not at ‘The Jubilee’ just to make up the numbers, it was the turn of Robin’s keeper Andy Hannah to show the 245 spectators his wares, making 2 excellent saves to deny the visitors. The first chance came on the hour when former Evesham striker Ewen Dunbar, saw his 20-yard strike tipped over the bar by Hannah at full stretch. The keeper then had to deny another former Robin in Mark Magee whose shot was pushed round the post.
The Robins put the game to bed with four minutes of normal time left on the clock, Jacob Davidge intercepted a pass on the halfway line before cutting in from the left, his pass found Kane Simpson who appeared to dummy Adams before steering the ball past the stranded keeper.
EUFCSC MoM: Andy Hannah
Attendance: 245
Evesham United: Hannah, Harding (Anson 75), Tunnicliff, Turley, Williams, Wellon, Thomas, C Brown (Price 87), Kane Simpson, Kye Simpson (Hancock 71), Davidge. Sub Not Used: Major
