EVESHAM UNITED 1-2 GLOUCESTER CITY: match report by The Mowdog...

Tigers Rue Chances, As Headers Go Awry

Evesham United 1 Gloucester City 2

The toss...

Gloucester missed several headed chances in the opening half of this game, which Evesham led against the run of play with a penalty by home skipper Jared Wilson. The many replacements at the interval changed the game somewhat and although City equalised quickly, they failed to capitalise and both teams missed opportunities, with visiting defender Matt Williams making a fine goal-line clearance and home ‘keeper Kevin Sawyer saving well from Tiger Scott Wilson. A late shot off a post won the encounter, although late efforts by United fizzed too high and Elliott Chamberlain struck an upright in the closing moments for Gloucester too. The sunset over the ground was stunning and the 149 spectators who enjoyed a pleasant evening out watching the game were no doubt equally impressed by the surroundings. The report below uses the names and numbers written on a teamsheet and Tweeted during the game, so any errors of identification I apologise for!

The Tigers probe the left flank...

Sawyer clears...

Sawyer caught an early Gloucester corner with confidence then home forwards Ash Edenborough and Marcus Palmer combined to set up Aaron Drake, who didn’t duck his responsibility from 25 yards and fired a rising shot, which sliced well off target. Will Morford latched onto a long City punt forward but his angled volley from inside-left dipped past the goal-frame, although Sawyer didn’t look overly perturbed. Lively play by Scott Wilson for City resulted in a low cross from the left but the attack froze when a defender miskicked in front of goal and Evesham survived, as Gloucester looked on. A long effort by Sam Avery attempted to catch the tall Sawyer, no double for Huckleberry Finn, off his line but the goalie was alert enough to step back and catch the ball.

A red, red robin bobbin'

The second of two right-flank throws by the Tigers resulted in a low drive from inside-right by striker Nat Jarvis, which fizzed past the left upright from 22 yards then Avery missed the first of two offensive headers, nodding Billy Jones’ corner almost vertically towards the moon above the open end of the stadium. All that Evesham could offer in response at this stage was a free-kick, knocked on by Palmer, who had begun the game with some strong running, towards the eager Edenborough, whose awkward 25 yard volley flew well over the crossbar. Jarvis was then denied by Sawyer, as the central striker flicked a header goalwards from a left-wing centre but the ‘keeper threw himself upwards like a Russian dancer, thrust out a long left arm and clawed the ball away, although any rebound opportunity was wrecked by a linesman’s flag waving.

Gloucester were better at defensive headers on the night!

Avery got under another header from a Jones free-kick to clear the bar again, which would have been fine in a game of footy-volleyball on Copacabana Beach but not really very fine in a pre-season friendly at Evesham, then Matt Groves’ left-wing delivery was flicked on by Jarvis’ head but Morford was unable to capitalise beyond the far post. Marcus Jackson and the lean Jack Watts threatened briefly for the Robins, then Michael Green’s right-flank centre for City was met by yet another unchallenged header by Jarvis, which Sawyer was grateful to catch beneath his crossbar, although a City colleague was probably better placed behind the striker. Another header was scorned by the visitors when Groves glanced an effort wide from a left-wing cross, following neat passing between Scott Wilson and Jones and then, as Edenborough fought his way along the right byeline for the hosts, Avery’s challenge sent the Evesham forward crashing to the ground. Skipper Jared Wilson took the subsequent penalty, slotting it to goalie Mike Green’s left, who needed to be distinguished from right-back Michael Green by differing shirt colours and the fact that the full-back wasn’t allowed to use his hands…

1-0 to Evesham...

So, after causing the home defence so much aerial trouble, yet failing to hit the target, the Tigers found themselves trailing. Watts drifted inside for the Robins but Edenborough skied his tentative effort at goal from distance, the growing Tiger influence Lewis Hogg exchanged passes with Scott Wilson and drove a low 22 yarder past the left upright, then Sawyer did really well to block a Jarvis shot with his legs, as City again attacked on the left. Jarvis, again offered a free header, nodded downwards but straight at Sawyer, as Jones’ right-wing corner provided the opportunity and the hurt Linden Dovey in the home defence was soon replaced by Jamie Sauntson. Hogg, who alongside the extremely busy Adam Connolly had begun to boss the midfield area, fed Scott Wilson for a shot at inside-left but somehow the forward’s attempted lob was badly miscued, skewing well wide of the near upright.

Two players demonstrate their fire-brigade training, just in case a spectator tumbles from a floodlight pylon... 

The break arrived, spectators turned phone-cameras, iPads and eyes to the magnificent sunset and players took rests, providing replacements with opportunities to impress. Evesham had lacked width on the left side, with the useful Watts seemingly employed in a narrow midfield but the poor marking of the City forwards was the major concern, surely. Almost immediately after the restart, Gloucester, abandoning the cross/header tactic, scored from an incisive movement and low shot. Turl intercepted Edenborough’s pass, flicked the ball to Marc Richards and Connolly was quickly fed, who slipped a pass through the inside-left channel for Chamberlain to beat Sawyer with a neat finish into the bottom left corner of the net. He had benefited from his colleagues moving right and taking defenders with them, leaving Sawyer totally exposed. Soon, Scott Wilson buried the loose ball, after Avery’s presence in the home penalty-area had caused problems but the referee had apparently noticed some backing-in by a Tiger and the ‘goal’ was rendered void.

The Tigers have regained parity...

The huge Evesham substitute, who I believe was Nathan Jackson, showed some good footwork, then Edenborough streamed a shot straight at replacement goalie Rivers, now embedded in the City goal, before a smart play by the Tigers on the right enabled Scott Wilson to power onto the ball and unleash an angled effort with the outside of his right boot, which the experienced Sawyer fell like a sawn log to block superbly. Strangely, with City again in the ascendancy, the Robins’ replacements began to show some pace and not a little guile, for Lance Smith, who impressed after the interval, forced a quick route to the left byeline and knocked a smart pass back for the lurking Sean Wood to strike and although Rivers was beaten, the keen and non-shirking Williams on the goal-line somehow parried the ball away with his torso.

More aerial action...

Nice surroundings...

The tall Jackson did well to retrieve a ball from the left and cross for Sauntson but the ensuing header was wayward, then Adam Mann’s free-kick from 23 yards, inside-right channel, curled low into the side-netting of the near upright, with Sawyer scrambling like a squirrel being chased by an angry gardener. A United shot was deflected for a left-wing corner, which was flicked wide at the near post by the ghosting Smith and at times, the hosts looked dangerous. Jackson the Giant lost and then won the ball, allowing namesake Marcus Jackson to fire too high from 25 yards and then, with the play halted, I chose to video the incredible sunset, but wouldn’t you just know it, City won the ball in midfield, Mann fastened onto it and slapped a 24 yard drive against the inside of the left post, which beat replacement United ‘keeper Josh Goddard completely and the ball flew into the opposite corner of the net. I saw it, the video might just have captured it and Gloucester had their winner.

Gloucester have taken the lead...

It only remained for Smith to set up Sauntson to shoot too high, Giant Jackson to set up Sauntson to shoot too low and straight, an effort which flowed to Rivers, before a fine move by the visitors saw the ball switched from left to right, where a pass by Chamberlain out to the number 20 was then crossed low, Connolly cleverly dummied the ball and the supporting Chamberlain clipped a low drive against the far left upright, with the rebound being cleared. Mann drove too high and finally, as time ebbed away, a long free-kick by Goddard saw the cleared ball fall for Ben Evans, whose lobbed volley landed just over the Tigers’ crossbar.

A decent evening, a competitive game, the result always in doubt and remarkably, a team called the Robins with a Drake and a Dovey included. I drove off into the sunset. Well, it’s what you do…

Teams:

Evesham:  Kevin Sawyer, Jared Wilson, Lewis Binns; Aaron Drake, Linden Dovey, Will Wellon; Marcus Jackson, Sean Wood, Ash Edenborough, Marcus Palmer, Jack Watts.

Subs: Kevin Slack, Lance Smith, Ben Evans, Nathan Jackson, Jamie Sauntson, Oli Sanders, Callum Hughes, Liam Harding, Josh Goddard (gk).

Gloucester:  Mike Green, Michael Green, Billy Jones; Adam Connolly, Matt Williams, Sam Avery; Scott Wilson, Lewis Hogg, Will Morford, Matt Groves.

Subs: Marc Richards, Elliott Chamberlain, Charlie Griffin, Adam Mann, Spencer Hamilton, Sam Turl, Harry Rivers (gk).