Evesham United 0 Bristol Manor Farm 0 (Courtesy of the excellent report written on the Bristol Manor Farm website https://bristolmanorfarm.com/)
Both goalkeepers took centre-stage during this entertaining drama with the curtain having risen again on a non-league programme that has been decimated in the last few weeks by severe rainfall.
Rain was thankfully no longer a contending element at the Spiers & Hartwell Stadium on Saturday but a strong wind blew straight down the pitch from one end to the other for the full 90 minutes – offering something of an advantage to whoever made use of its strength.
Evesham had it at their backs in the first half but could not find an early breakthrough against dogged and resilient opponents. Manor Farm’s Ben John was the first of the ‘keepers to shine when he saved well from a flashing header crossed from the left in the 12th minute.
A good battle began to unfold from the swirling maelstrom of midfield with Robins captain Danny Bragoli generally leading the way for the home side and the experienced Ashley Kington, alongside Farm skipper Jamie Adams and Jordan Metters, keeping the visitors ticking with some nice probing passing of their own. Centre-forward Alan Griffin – a tireless target man for the Portwaymen all afternoon – had a confident penalty appeal turned down in the 14th minute and Kington set up Metters who volleyed over in the 15th. Sixty seconds later Evesham broke at pace down the left with Harry Franklin lobbing a bouncing ball across the advancing John but wide of the far post. Some neat Farm interplay on the edge of the Evesham penalty area put Olly Mehew through in a central position but his slightly too-heavy touch allowed Evesham ‘keeper Lochlan Robertson to get out quickly and save bravely at the striker’s feet. Robertson then had to get down smartly three minutes later to keep out a 20-yard effort by Lewis Leigh-Gilchrist.
Around the half-hour mark the Manor Farm defence came under concerted Evesham pressure again with Steve Kingdon making a great last-ditch tackle which went for a corner but then also earning a yellow card to concede a dangerous free-kick on the edge of the box as Matt Dodd dribbled dangerously goalwards.
The free-kick was hit low and hard, taking a deflection which wrong-footed John who’d set off to his left, but with a little final help from his defence, the keeper made a superb adjustment to keep the ball out at his right hand post.
With just four minutes left to the break and the home side thus far thwarted with their wind advantage, the Farm were given a further boost to their second half prospects when the influential Bragoli was given a straight red card for a high tackle on the ever warrior-like Lloyd Mills.
As the second half wore on the visitors continued to make good use of their numerical advantage – stretching the home side time and again out wide and gradually penning them back deeper towards their own goalmouth. But just like Evesham in the first half Manor Farm also failed to find the true gauge of any wind assistance as the ball either variously flew, floated or wobbled high or wide of the woodwork. When Manor Farm were on target with their efforts they were denied repeatedly by a superb performance from Evesham’s Scottish glovesman Robertson.
Although the half was something of an uphill battle for them, Evesham still had a great chance to take the lead in the 65th minute when substitute Kai Tonge was put through on a run with only John to beat. The Farm keeper however pulled off a brilliant stop to keep the score goalless.
Not to be outshone in the golden gloves stakes Robertson, with his goal under virtual siege during the game’s final quarter of an hour, put in an eye-catching, match-saving performance for Evesham.
In fairly swift succession Robertson dived to his left to punch clear a strong Kingdon drive, clawed a Mason Winter effort out that was inches away from going in the top right hand corner and finger-tipped a Griffin header over the bar with a backwards leap at full-stretch.
Evesham United: Lochlan Robertson, Aaron Roberts, Adam Page, Jordan Staten, Bradley Maslen-Jones, Thomas Chamberlain, Harry Franklin, Danny Bragoli, Paul Sullivan, Matt Dodd (Kai Tonge), Jamie Lucas (Brian Smikle)
Unused subs. William Holland, Henry McMahon
Attendance: 204
Man of Match: (Lochlan Robertson, Evesham United)
