EVESHAM UNITED 3-1 HISTON: match report by The Mowdog...

Edenborough Humbles Histon As Stutes Stutter At Evesham

Evesham United 3 Histon 1

(FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round Replay)

Rather like a secondary school dinner queue...

Reasonable view...

I chatted to a guy at this game, who’d been to watch Wisla Krakow lose at home to Legia Warsaw recently, where he survived a hostile atmosphere, bouncing ‘Ultras’ and Polish match-day fear, but this FA Cup replay wasn’t quite like that intimidating match… Indeed, the 267 customers were treated to a fairly decent and calm match, despite a less than pleasant relationship between Evesham’s Ash Edenborough, who netted a brace and could have scored more, and visiting ‘keeper Enol Ordonez, who struggled throughout with his handling and caused his covering defenders a number of moments of extreme anxiety. In truth, the game revolved around Edenborough’s pesky attacking, home wide-player Elliot Kennedy’s speed and wing skills, plus Marcus Jackson’s and Carl Brown’s general midfield play but for the visitors, Nick Freeman’s contribution was splendid throughout and he fired in several shots, finally netting to give his team a chance at 2-1. An Evesham penalty wrecked the Institute’s hopes however and United will now play Chalfont St Peter in the next FA Cup round. 

Huddling...

Tossing...

Very little breeze but a little drizzle greeted the start and Histon looked lively initially, with striker Mateusz Kuzimski lifting an effort well over the goal frame and Freeman, so illustrating his name, popping up all over the offensive zone and rapping in two successive shots; Jared Wilson blocked the first for the hosts but the hugely experienced Kevin Sawyer fell to save the second. Indeed, it was Sawyer who provided an unlikely assist for the opening goal, for when he left-booted a clearance along the left flank, Lance Smith fastened onto the ball and fired a low drive at goal, which Ordonez parried, but only as far as Edenborough, whose instinctive header over the stranded ‘keeper cannoned down from the crossbar and the ‘level’ linesman signalled a goal, as Ordonez grabbed the ball and pleaded in vain on his team’s behalf.

A distant celebration, but at least I bothered...

The response from the Stutes was positive and a couple of crosses were delivered, one of which led to a deflected effort by Kuzimski. George Washbourne, surely a fine name for an American Presidential candidacy, was delivering a few decent crosses for Evesham and one free-kick from the right was fumbled then gathered by Ordonez, who spilled the ball and grabbed at it like he was panning for gold in the old American west. Another delivery by Washbourne was nodded on by Smith but was deflected for a left-side corner but soon Ordonez struggled with another centre and a scramble ensued in the 6 yard box, which his defenders somehow survived. Washbourne slipped and drove way too high, the visiting Henry Randall, in his green boots, also failed to keep a shot down, then Freeman couldn’t get any pace behind a shot and Sawyer saved easily. The busy and diminutive Marcus Jackson, sharing the game with the huge Nathan Jackson by this time, for home defender Will Wellon had left the field hurt, soon drove a cross-shot off target. It was a case of Wellon? Well off, actually…

Once again, Ordonez jumped to punch away a right-side centre but the ball skidded off his knuckles towards the left byeline, where it was retrieved and switched to the right and Kennedy but although Smith rose well for the winger’s centre, his header flew way too high. Freeman was soon to be the architect for the guests again and he saw a low free-kick saved by Sawyer but he then crafted a right-flank move, which saw Randall pass inside to the playmaker and Freeman’s measured right-boot finish from 19 yards bent agonisingly wide of the right upright with Sawyer motionless, like a lumberjack whose axe has slipped from his grip. Ordonez was fortunate to be awarded a free-kick when he dropped another Evesham cross, after a corner had been cleared to Washbourne and then there was a ludicrous incident involving pushing by Marcus Jackson and Histon’s Evan Key, who was considerably taller and it reminded me of a playground spat between a Y1 child and a Y6 kid, but the referee sorted it out and Histon wasted the subsequent free-kick. Edenborough, always lively, benefitted from an assist by Smith but drove wastefully over and wide of the goal-frame from 12 yards and as the half eased to a close, Nathan Jackson looked shaky as a long throw by Histon was launched into his defensive zone. 

The squabblers head to the ref...

Evesham began the second period by netting a second goal, again created by an astute long er, boot, or let’s say, ‘creative long pass’ from home ‘keeper Sawyer. Histon left-back Lewis McDonald was beaten by the bounce on his flank and that set the increasingly dangerous Kennedy racing on and his low cross-shot rattled off Stuart Wall’s legs slightly and beat the helpless Ordonez at the far post, the ball fizzing into the netting.

2-0: Kennedy...
A dangerous scoreline, 2-0, but 3-1 and 22-20 aren't, apparently...

Joe Burgess, the Histon right-back, had been supporting his offense at every opportunity and he would deliver a number of decent crosses during the second-half and he struck the visitors’ first shot after the interval too, but pulled it across the goalmouth from 20 yards. Randall was withdrawn by Histon and the introduction of the tidy and fleet Peter Clark into the midfield area improved the visitors’ play considerably and suddenly, Evesham’s confidence began to wobble in their own penalty-box, when long throws, free-kicks and corners were flung in by their guests, although Sawyer was not to blame for the melees. A fine break on the right again by the impressive Kennedy led to a calm pass across the penalty-box for Washbourne to strike, totally unmarked, 15 yards out, but he leaned back a little and skied his effort. Clark initiated an attack for the visitors but Rogan McGeorge’s two low shots were stubbed and blocked in a crowded penalty-box, before Nathan Jackson shot an awkward effort from 25 yards with the outside of his right boot and he received applause for clearing the crossbar by 18 feet. No idea why.

More substitutions happened: Matty Waters and Eugene Libertucci replaced the Histon strikers, Kuzimski and Joe Peacock, then Ordonez dived low from goal to punch a low Kennedy centre straight up-field and I guess he was demonstrative on this occasion, leaving no room for another fumble. A long right-side throw from the guests was headed down by a defender in a crowded goalmouth but Freeman was switched on enough to veer left past the challenge of Linden Dovey and steer a shot back across goal and into the bottom right corner of the net, with Sawyer standing like an angry ogre in a Tolkien movie. As the ball was sought by from the net by Histon, there were snatchings and arms flailing, leading I think, to cautions for Burgess and United’s Lewis Binns, which he probably thought was a trashy decision. 

Another long Histon throw from the right caused more chaos in the Robins’ defence but Waters snapped a shot wide, before Evesham broke forward and a great centre from the right byeline by Marcus Jackson landed on the head of the unmarked Kennedy, 12 yards out, left of centre and he tried to angle his effort back across Ordonez, only to watch in anguish as the ball floated beyond the far upright. Waters was off target with a header for Histon, as both teams forced the pace, then Dovey and Smith made way for United replacements Jack Watts and Kevin Slack, who belied his name with some real industry. Slack was dumped to the ground by Reynolds, who was, shall I say, ‘displeased’ but the ensuing free-kick, just beyond the left corner of the 18 yard box was set up for a delivery by Edenborough and he sure delivered: his curling shot smacked against the bar with Ordonez hopelessly beaten. Edenborough, reminding me of the kid in your class who likes to be naughty but somehow you kinda like him anyway, made a run into the left side of the penalty-box, Burgess challenged him and the striker fell. Edenborough took the resulting penalty with aplomb, smashing it into the roof of the net but then rubbed the goalie’s hair… Unwise, I would suggest and Ordonez grabbed the ball, didn’t fumble it but threw it at the striker. And missed.

3-1...

...and Edenborough celebrates NOT being hit by the ball when Ordonez chucked it at him...

Duran Reynolds rose at the far stick for Histon, twisted like a gymnast above a mat but was unable to keep his header down, as the visitors kept attacking, despite the above setback. Sawyer held a long McGeorge shot, Nathan Jackson, oddly not much of a presence for the Robins, drove crazily high and following a neat move between Slack and Kennedy on the left, Washbourne lifted his near post effort off target. Histon ended the game the stronger and it was again the substitutes who were well involved; a long throw caused defensive chaos for United and Libertucci, under pressure, pushed a 15 yard effort just past the right upright then Sawyer reacted well to tip a long drive by the same player over his crossbar. 

Histon battled but in truth, they were unable to cope with Kennedy in particular, but also Washbourne to a lesser extent, along with the sniffing-of-chances-ability of Edenborough but their ‘keeper really didn’t impress. Freeman did well for his team and the central defenders certainly had to bale out Ordonez on a number of occasions. Evesham deserved the victory but maybe I’ll think again about watching live Polish football, wearing a Truro City shirt… 

Teams:

Evesham:  Kevin Sawyer, Jared Wilson, Lewis Binns; Marcus Jackson, Will Wellon, Linden Dovey; Elliot Kennedy, Carl Brown, Ash Edenborough, Lance Smith, George Washbourne.

Subs: Michael Tambling, Jack Watts, Liam Harding, Nathan Jackson, Kevin Slack, Dean Wood, ? Comfort.

Histon:  Enol Ordonez, Joe Burgess, Lewis McDonald; Stuart Wall, Duran Reynolds, Rogan McGeorge; Henry Randell, Evan Key, Mateusz Kuzimski, Joe Peacock, Nick Freeman.

Subs: Harry O’Malley, Eugene Libertucci, Peter Clark, Matty Waters, Curtis Fulcher, Luis McCoy, Jonny Butler.