George Washbourne was Evesham`s match winner in a one-sided Evo-Stik South & West victory at the Silverlake Arena. Washbourne struck the only goal in first half stoppage-time to make it just one defeat in 16 games for Paul Collicutt`s men. The margin of victory would have been much greater, had it not been for the heroics of Boatmen goalkeeper Matt Brown who pulled-off a catalogue of top class saves to keep the United forwards at bay. Once again only three subs could be named on the Evesham bench with Lewis Binns, Linden Dovey, Marcus Jackson, Carl Brown and last season`s leading scorer Lance Smith all absent for the trip to Southampton.
Washbourne: Scored winner
Sholing were pegged back straight from the kick-off and Brown was soon tested making an excellent point-blank block to keep out Sean Wood. Robins skipper Matt Sysum directed Jared Wilson`s free-kick just off target and then Nick Stanley shot wide after being set-up by Adam Mann. Brown then produced two superb stops in quick succession getting a hand to touch over the bar strikes from Mann and Ashley Edenborough. With United camped in the Sholing half, the quick thinking Edenborough then had a goal chalked-off when Brown fumbled in the six yard box but Edenborough was adjudged to have taken the ball out of the stopper`s grasp before finding the net. Kevin Sawyer a spectator in the United goal up to this point, then made decent saves himself when Nick Watt`s fired in a couple of breakaway shots for the hosts. But with the half about to go in to injury-time, Washbourne who was a constant threat for United, collected the ball down the right and cut inside before sending an unstoppable drive into the top corner of Brown`s net.
Evesham`s relentless pressure continued in the second half with Sholing`s labouring defence constantly being ripped apart with ease by United`s rampant strikeforce. Brown was beaten only for Wood`s shot to hit a post before being cleared and then the overworked keeper was again at his best making outstanding saves to deny Edenborough, Mann and the tricky Lee Smith. By now United`s corner-count was well into double figures but the Red and Whites failed to find a decisive second goal but there was no need to panic, as Sysum and Co. easily saw out seven minutes of added-time without any alarms to claim a sixth league double and further cement a place in the play-offs.
EVESHAM UNITED:
Sawyer, Wood, Wellon (Slack 22), Wilson, Sysum, Harding, Washbourne, Stanley, Edenborough (Kennedy 81), Mann, Lee Smith.
SUB NOT USED: Knowles
REFEREE: Mr J.Vallance (Reading)
ATTENDANCE: 119
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