Match Report: Evesham Utd 1 vs Littleton 1

United are still seeking their first pre-season victory after being held to a hard fought draw by Midland League Division One Littleton who also missed a penalty in the Robins latest warm-up game at the Jubilee Stadium.
United skipper Matt Sysum got on the scoresheet with a quarter-of-an-hour to go before substitute Liam Scrivens deservedly levelled for Andy Robbins side two minutes from time.

Littleton started the stronger but spurned a golden opportunity to take the lead after just six minutes. Nick Stanley clipped the heels of Evesham `old boy` Daniel Holloway in the box and Kevin Sawyer guessed the right way to push aside Callum Clarke`s resulting spot-kick. Lance Smith should have done better for the hosts but after wriggling his way clear shot tamely at Haydn Whitcombe with only the Littleton stopper in his sights. Evesham then enjoyed a decent spell resulting in Lee Smith and Ashley Edenborough both going close and Jared Wilson thumping a shot against a post after neat work down the left by Lance Smith. Just beyond the half-hour mark, the impressive Linden Dovey came to United`s rescue with an acrobatic goal-line clearance to prevent Kyonn Evans  from giving Littleton a shock lead.

Whitcombe made routine saves from Kevin Slack and Ashley Williams early in the second half, while Sawyer did likewise safely gathering from Sean Cooke and Clarke. In a bid to freshen things up, boss Paul Collicutt introduced five United substitutes around the hour and following a Williams` header that flew just over, the Red and Whites finally made the breakthrough on 75 minutes. United won a corner on the left and from Sean Wood`s flag-kick Sysum headed in via a deflection past the stranded Whitcombe. To their credit lower graded Littleton never gave up and were rewarded for their evening`s work when Scrivens fired past Sawyer to end an even contest at 1-1 with two minutes to go.

REFEREE: Mr D.Wooton (Cheltenham)

ATTENDANCE: 164