In front of Evesham’s biggest league crowd since moving to the Jubilee Stadium headquarters in 2012, the Robins continued their impeccable run of form in the Evo-Stik Southern South & West Division with a seventh successive victory in the local derby against Stratford Town on Boxing Day. Paul Collicutt’s side have bagged 22 points out of a possible 24 since losing at Tiverton Town on 15th November and now sit handily placed in fifth spot. Evesham went into the game looking for their second league double of the season after beating Stratford 2-0 at the DCS Stadium in August and despite Tyrone Fagan pulling a goal back for the visitors late on, first half strikes by Carl Brown and Adam Mann had already put United on the road to a comfortable victory.
Carl Brown: first goal of season
Evesham failed to take the lead early on, when skipper Matt Sysum spurned an easy opportunity blazing over after Town keeper Andy Kemp had spilled Nick Stanley’s free-kick on the greasy surface. It wasn’t long, however, before United deservedly took a 15th minute lead when Brown opened his account for the campaign with a tap-in at the back post after good work by Mann down the left. The rest of the first half action took place in the Stratford half who huffed and puffed to little effect and a confident Evesham side showed no mercy ten minutes before the interval when the impressive Mann, who began a second month on loan from Gloucester City, surged past several defenders and unleashed an unstoppable shot that gave Kemp no chance for 2-0.
Evesham’s battling approach was mirrored again in the second half with Lance Smith and Mann both going close and Kemp making an exceptional stop to prevent substitute Ollie Knowles adding a third. The game then took a twist with fifteen minutes to go, when a rare misunderstanding at the back presented Fagan with a simple finish but a late rally from the visitors never materialised. Indeed, Kevin Sawyer remained untroubled in the United goal and Stratford’s abysmal league form stretch to six games without a win.
Evesham Utd: Kevin Sawyer, Sean Wood, Will Wellon, Liam Harding, Matt Sysum, Linden Dovey, Carl Brown (Ollie Knowles 71), Nick Stanley (Jared Wilson 71), Lance Smith, Adam Mann, George Washbourne (Lewis Binns 79).
Subs not used: Marcus Jackson, Aaron Drake
Referee: Mr R Gardner (Worcester)
Attendance: 381
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