Robins crash to last-gasp defeat (From Cotswold Journal)

Robins crash to last-gasp defeat

11:30am Thursday 3rd January 2013 in Sport

EVESHAM United looked on course to collect their first ever point at Penydarren Park until Merthyr Town’s Aaron Cornwall intervened two minutes into injury-time.

The substitute rose to head home Steve Williams’ cross to seal a 1-0 success and the Martyrs’ first home Evo-Stik Southern Football League Division One South and West victory since mid-November.

It was tough on Paul West’s side who went into the New Year’s Day match aiming to extend their unbeaten league run to three games.

They did enough to get something out of the game until Cornwall struck at the death.

Evesham now host Abingdon United, who are one place below them in 14th position, in the league on Saturday (3pm).

Merthyr dominated the early possession without causing goalkeeper Tom Cross too many problems.

At the other end, Jamal Clarke, unmarked at the back post, failed to get a touch on Carl Brown’s cross and then Brown volleyed just over as the firsthalf drew a blank.

Evesham stuck to their guns and continued to look dangerous on the break after the interval as Sam Adkins, Leigh Downing and Brown all went close to finding the net.

As the game entered injurytime, leading scorer Marcus Palmer smacked a shot against the Merthyr woodwork before Cornwall broke United’s hearts by heading in Williams’ cross from close range. There was still time for Palmer to have his goalbound drive deflected wide with keeper Giles Cutlan beaten.

Evesham United: Cross, Wilson, Hyde, Sysum, Clarke, J Blake, Downing, Adkins, Kandekore (Palmer 83), Brown (Spence 79), Gayton. Subs not used: Edwards, Hardwick, A Blake.

Attendance: 331.

• Littleton have had five Athium Midland Combination Premier Division matches postponed in a row due to the wet weather.

Saturday’s fixture at fellow title challengers Walsall Wood is also off due to their opponents’ involvement in the FA Vase.

Littleton’s New Year’s Day derby with Pershore Town, who host Brocton on Saturday (3pm), was hit by the weather.