ADAM Mann was Evesham’s match winner when his goal eight minutes before half-time was enough to beat a battling Shortwood side 1-0 in the Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South and West.

The triumph made it 10 games without defeat for second-placed Evesham and, in the process, Kevin Sawyer kept his 19th clean sheet in 34 league games in an outstanding campaign for the goalkeeper.

Mann, who netted the only goal in United’s previous outing at North Leigh, repeated the feat against one of his former clubs to take the tally to 12 and move to within three of leading marksman Ashley Edenborough.

Skipper Matt Sysum was again absent through suspension so manager Paul Collicutt relied on the same starting 11 who triumphed against North Leigh.

Shortwood, who needed to win to keep their own play-off hopes alive, enjoyed the opening exchanges when gi- ant striker Lewis Sommers glanced a header wide and Josh Egan blazed his shot over after neat skills down the right by the lively Marley Thomas.

Evesham worked their way into the game and, from Nick Stanley’s free-kick, Edenborough forced Tom King to save and then King was at full stretch to push aside Carl Brown’s deflected drive.

Thomas tested Sawyer before United bagged the all-important goal on 37 minutes.

Mann dispossessed Ross Langworthy just outside the box and ran on to beat the advancing King with a crisp finish from 10 yards.

Although kicking against a blustery wind in the second-half, United played the better football and always looked dangerous going forward. Marcus Jackson and Edenborough went close to extending Evesham’s lead and King produced several decent stops to keep the home side in the game.

Shortwood threatened on the break but Sawyer was up to the task, denying Sommers with a good block and touching over a Josh Klein-Davies header.

The best chance fell United’s way when a combination of King and Egan blocked George Washbourne’s shot.

Evesham: Sawyer, Brown (Wood 41,Washbourne 78), Stanley, Harding, Slack (Lance Smith 57), Dovey, Jackson, Wilson, Edenborough, Mann, Lee Smith. Not used: Wellon.

Attendance:128.