Downing on target in Robins triumph (From Cotswold Journal)

Downing on target in Robins triumph

8:00am Friday 4th January 2013 in Sport

LEIGH Downing’s clinical finish 12 minutes from time earned Evesham United a 1-0 win over Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South and West neighbours Bishops Cleeve.

Midfielder Downing struck the winner past goalkeeper James Nortel for his seventh goal of the season after the visitors’ defence only halfcleared Sam Adkins’ corner.

Defender Jared Wilson made his first Evesham start for 13 weeks following injury and local lad Will Gayton started for the first time.

Top-scorer Marcus Palmer, who was suffering from flu, was left on the bench.

The best move of the firsthalf resulted in Dwayne Spence pulling his shot wide after United’s James Blake created the opening with a surging run down the right.

With skipper Matt Sysum and Jamal Clarke dominant at the heart of the Evesham defence, Cleeve failed to register a shot on target.

United continued to dominate possession after the interval. Gayton and Leon Kandekore both tested Nortel and then the stopper safely gathered Sysum’s header beneath his crossbar.

The breakthrough, however, finally arrived on 78 minutes when Downing gave Nortel no chance.

Evesham: Cross, Wilson, Hyde, Sysum, Clarke, Blake, Downing, Adkins, Spence, Kandekore (Palmer 76), Gayton. Subs not used: Turner, Hutchcox, Hardwick, Goddard.

Referee: S Wales (Tewkesbury). Att: 189.