Match report courtesy of Severn Sport
Slimbridge moved seven points clear of the bottom four places in the Southern League Division One South on Wednesday night, with a convincing 2-0 win against Evesham United.
Nathan Dennis’ first half header gave the hosts the lead before Will Hawes’ neat one on one finish in the second period rounded off a great night for the Swans in front of 230 at Thornhill Park.
The game started at a fast pace without an awful lot of goalmouth action, with Swans winger Marley Thomas looking particularly dangerous – as he tried stretching the Evesham back line.
Chippenham Town loanee Don Ogbeifun whipped a free kick just wide on 16 minutes, but the game didn’t really see many clear cut chances in the opening 25 minutes.
Then Slimbridge won a free kick wide on the left and centre back Dennis got the run on his man to glance the ball into the bottom corner – giving Evesham keeper Lewis Clayton no chance.
Myron Turner had a glorious chance to make it 2-0 minutes later when he was picked out by a Ben McLean cross, but as the ball fell at a difficult height, the former Longlevens man could only blast wide from inside the box.
Evesham were trying to play some nice football, but every time they got forward the final pass just wasn’t there and Slimbrdige keeper Lewis Adams didn’t have an awful lot to do in the first 45 minutes.
To sum up Evesham’s half they won a free kick on the left hand side and ended up nearly conceding from it! After the ball in was cleared, Will Hawes played in Marley Thomas with a great diagonal. Thomas’ cross fell to Michael Ford, who fizzed an effort wide as the Swans went searching for that killer second.
Then right on half time it felt like Slimbridge had blown their big chance to secure the points when Thomas found himself in behind Ben Prictor, only to be denied in the one on one by the advancing Clayton.
Slimbridge went into the break ahead and Evesham were just about clinging on.
The second half started with Evesham seeing a lot of the ball, but Slimbridge looking the most likely. The visitors had a great chance to equalise when Mike Symons held off his man down the right side of the box, before firing across goal and wide.
And within five minutes Slimbridge had doubled their lead. Former Swans defender Prictor made a hash of trying to clear the ball forward and the error allowed Will Hawes to take the ball in his stride and slide past Clayton to make it 2-0 and all but end the game as a contest.
Slimbridge knew they had the game where they wanted it and with Thomas and Hawes snapping at the Evesham defenders, the visitors kept giving the ball away in their own half, time and time again.
The hosts were given the chance to extend their lead when another former Swan, Adam Mace, brought down Thomas in the box. Will Hawes stepped up to see his spot kick clip the bar on its way over.
In the final minutes former Gloucester City man Edji Mbunga had an effort blocked by a combination of Lewis Clayton”s fingertips and a recovering defender.
But Slimbridge were good value for their win and with 13 league games left have given themselves a bit of breathing space ahead of games against local rivals Cinderford Town and Cirencester Town, who’s management teams were in attendance, following their visit to Melksham Town this weekend.
Slimbridge are up to 15th, whilst Evesham sit two places and four points ahead. Next up for Evesham is a trip to Willand Rovers, before a home game against Highworth Town next weekend.
Slimbridge: Adams, Spark, Turner, Ford, Dennis, Lawrence, Mbunga, Ogbeifun, Hawes, McLean, Thomas
Subs: Hands, Yeo, O’Boyle, Tomlin
Evesham United: Clayton, Hunt, Mace, Prictor (Bayeke), Keightley, Sheehan (Djurovic) Smalley, Horrell, Symons, Sidibe, Lymn
Subs: Judge, Gray, Paddock, Djurovic, Bayeke
Link to Craig Newtons video
