Match Report | Evesham United (A)
The Yeltz start life without Russ Penn with a thumping win at Evesham United to progress to the Second Round of the FA Trophy
Brief Overview
We took the lead three minutes before first half stoppage time, and it was thoroughly deserved. A free-kick from Samson Hewett was blocked out for a corner by Brandon Liggett. The delivery from the right by Hewett dropped to Jason Cowley in the box, who scored into the near post. Our lead was doubled just two minutes later, and what a goal it was as Milan Butterfield found the bottom right from long range.
Our third arrived seven minutes after the interval. A pass from Hewett out to Ben Cassidy down the right, saw the latter charge forward and cross for Vanylson Silva. The winger jumped higher than his marker to head into the net. We hadn’t scored four away from home since, but that changed when Silva scored his second just after the hour mark. Almost carbon copy to the third, a Cassidy cross and Silva header was this time saved by Brendan Beard, but spilt to the Yeltz wide man who made no mistake on the rebound.
Match Report
It was a wet and extremely windy Spiers & Hartwell Stadium for our first visit to Evesham for over seven years. The last meeting came in the Trophy, and led us on our way to the semi-finals. Oh would we love that to be an omen. In the Yeltz hotseat for the first time since November 2006, Paul Holleran’s first game as interim manager following Russ Penn’s departure was a great opportunity for a win with no league distractions in sight. This was a cup game instead.
Paul named just two changes from Tuesday’s demolition at the hands of Racing Club Warwick, bringing Matt Preston & Jim Kellermann in for Rob Evans & Neo Dobson. The latter who is cup tied. Our hosts made two changes as well from their midweek league defeat at Chertsey Town. It was Rocco Sughayer & Michael Meadows who replaced Stephen Walsh & Max Asante-Boakye.
Against a side who had lost their last five league games, we quickly took control of this contest attempting to unsettle our struggling visitors. A pass from Preston to Dan Meredith down the right, saw the fullback pass further forward to Samson Hewett. The latter attempted to find Jason Cowley with his cross, but instead the ball hit the post, after keeper Brendan Beard left it thinking it was going wide.
Our tails were up, and five minutes later, Jim Kellermann swept a ball out to Vanylson Silva on the left flank. The winger spotted Milan Butterfield to his right, who went for a shot from 30 yard out that went just over the bar. Just after the quarter of the hour, we won a free-kick after Hewett was brought down by Josh McConnell. It was the Yeltz loanee who stood over the ball, went for a shot, but hit the wall.
Our domination never felt like fading, and moving the ball around on the ground really did seem to suit us in these blustery conditions. Despite the positive signs, Cowley was fairly quiet, but did find space on the by-line in the 24th minute. His pass reached Todd Parker just outside the box, whose shot spun wide. A rare and first sight at goal came the hosts way shortly after. It was Aaron Heap’s driving run, which warranted their opening effort at goal, but it was straight at Dan Platt.
It took Cowley half an hour to have his first shot at goal, as Butterfield found Hewett, who was once again brought down just outside the area, this time by Josh Barlow. The trio of Kellermann, Hewett & Cowley all stood over the ball, but it was the latter’s shot that went just over the bar. Unfortunately the wind not strong enough to lift it underneath. The gust was however helpful for us from Beard’s goal kicks, as it took the ball and drifted back in his direction many times. The worst occasion saw Liam Hutt slice the ball out for a corner, which Preston nearly headed in.
The Robins were quiet in the first half, and never really got going for sustained periods of time. But, it was them who had the best chance before our eventual 42nd minute goal. Their first corner was awarded after McConnell passed to Kai Churchley. The latter’s cross flicked off Ryan Wynter’s head. The delivery dropped in the centre, and was blocked on the line by Silva. Our two goals followed this big chance, but the pair were both deserved on the balance of the first half’s play.
The second half was largely uneventful, aside from our two goals on 53 & 62 minutes, but it didn’t need to be. The job was 99% done, and the hosts had long ball forward drift out of play, and missed passes into our possession, unable to create anything of note until the 79th minute. When they did test Platt, Churchley ball to Hutt down the right, saw a Barlow cross into the middle easily claimed by the Yeltz keeper.
After Silva had an 85th minute effort saved to deny him a hat-trick, the home side did have one last chance. In the second minute of stoppage time, Ioan Richards pass to substitute Antony McCormick in the centre of our half, saw the latter wind up for a long range effort, which was claimed comfortably by Platt. It was a deserved win on the outskirts of Cheltenham for the Yeltz, with Holleran’s interim spell starting off perfectly. A space in the hat, and with step 2 sides amongst Stourbridge, Bromsgrove & Redditch in the draw, an exciting tie on the 14th November could be in prospect.
Attendance: 365
Teams
Evesham: Brendan Beard (GK), Liam Hutt, Josh Barlow, Ioan Richards (C), Aaron Heap (Rhys Warner 81’), Josh McConnell, Kai Churchley, Brandon Liggett, Rocco Sughayer (Antony McCormick 70’), Michael Meadows (Owen Foye 46’), Sopuru Obieri (Dan Hanson 63’)
Unused Subs: Oscar Varney (GK)
Yeltz: Dan Platt (GK), Ben Cassidy (Rob Evans 80’), Matt Preston, Ryan Wynter (C), Todd Parker, Jason Cowley (Ty Barnett 80’), Vanylson Silva, Milan Butterfield, Jim Kellermann (Josh Bailey 34’), Samson Hewett, Dan Meredith
Unused Subs: Gael Mfuamba (GK) & Callum Ebanks