Blake off as United beaten by leaders (From Cotswold Journal)

Blake off as United beaten by leaders

7:00pm Thursday 28th February 2013 in Sport

EVESHAM United failed to put the brakes on leaders Hungerford’s title march when they slipped to a 1-0 Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South and West home defeat.

Dean Stow’s second-half winner completed the double over the Robins whose cause was not helped when James Blake was sent off 20 minutes from the end for a challenge on Ian Herring.

The only goal came on 55 minutes when the ball was worked across the Evesham penalty area for Stow to fire through a ruck of players into the net.

After Blake’s dismissal, Evesham’s best chance of saving a point fell to substitute Marcus Palmer whose shot was saved.

Before kick-off, a minute’s silence was held for late former Evesham chairman Stuart Reeves.

United bossed the opening exchanges and could have been two goals up inside five minutes.

Sam Adkins and Carl Brown forced keeper Paul Strudley to touch over goalbound drives.

But Evesham stopper Tom Cross was then forced into action when twice gathering safely from dangerman James Clark.

Brown volleyed over after Strudley failed to deal with Will Gayton’s searching cross before half-time.

Blake sidefooted wide and the Hungerford goalkeeper stopped Leigh Downing’s drive after it took an awkward bounce.

But Stow fired the visitors ahead and Clark forced a fine point-blank save from Cross before later shooting wide after rounding the keeper.

In injury-time, Jared Wilson prevented Stow from doubling the lead with a fortuitous block on the goalline.

The Robins visit Didcot Town on Saturday (3pm) before hosting Wimborne Town (7.45pm) next Tuesday.

Evesham United: Cross, Wilson, Hyde, Sysum, Jackson, J Blake, Downing, Adkins, Brown (Palmer 68), Kanderkore (Clarke 81), Gayton (Hicks 81), Subs not used: Hardwick, A Blake.

Attendance: 166.

• Evesham hold a prize bingo night in the Jubilee Stadium clubhouse tomorrow at 7.30pm with free entry.