Match Report & Pictures: Evesham United 5 vs Wantage Town 1

Evesham United had to come from behind to register what was in the end a convincing  victory over Wantage Town and climb to second in the Evo-Stik Southern South & West Division. Two goals each for Mark Magee and substitute Lance Smith clinched the three points and it`s now ten straight league wins and eleven games unbeaten for Paul Collicutt`s men. In the first half in particular, United didn`t have it all their own way, the Freds` missed a penalty which was superbly saved by the returning Kevin Sawyer and then took the lead through Mark Francis in the 25th minute. But United regrouped, scoring  twice leading up to half-time and then three times in a one-sided second half to round off an entertaining evening at the Jubilee Stadium.

 

 

United looked out-of-sorts early doors and a tug by Nick Stanley on Elliot Powell in the 19th minute presented Wantage with a golden opportunity  to snatch a shock lead from the penalty spot. But Sawyer guessed the right way to brilliantly keep out Francis` spot-kick. But it wasn`t long before Francis made amends for his miss when sloppy defending allowed the Wantage striker to fire the lowly visitors into a 1-0 lead. Slowly but surely United started to look their old selves with Magee firing into the side netting and then the United frontman having has shot blocked after good work down the right by Paul Fahy. But on 39 minutes and after a decent passage of play, United finally levelled through the impressive Magee who took advantage of a poor back pass to round Eddie Cavanaugh and slot home the equaliser. Cavanaugh then produced a flying save from Magee`s curler before Liam Harding met Lorcan Sheehan`s corner with a super header to give the Robins` a 2-1 interval lead.

 

 

The second half began with United on the attack with Sheehan`s header coming back off the crossbar and Harding`s goal bound header being hacked off the line by James Glover. Just beyond the hour a barrage of pressure ended with Magee finding space on the left and bursting into the box before placing a delightful finish into the far corner for 3-1.

The United fans didn`t have to wait long before goal number four arrived with leading scorer Smith coming off the bench and tapping in from close range after a great run and cross from Lewis Binns. Two minutes later Smith became the leading scorer in the South & West Division overtaking Hereford`s John Mills, when he sprinted through the Wantage defence and rounded Cavanaugh before rolling the ball into an empty net for his 19th League and Cup goal of the season to complete another impressive display.

 

Pictures here by Stuart Purfield

 

 

 

Referee: Mr R.Watkins (Nuneaton)            

 

Attendance: 224