SOME of the most incredible scenes ever witnessed at Common Road celebrated United's thrilling Bank Holiday Monday success that took the Robins to within one win of the Southern League Premier Division.

And, if the Robins can overcome Bromsgrove Rovers in Saturday's play-off final, then those joyous events will surely be surpassed as the disappointment of the failure to achieve a top two spot could turn unto a play-off promotion place.

This weekend's derby of destiny should attract more than 1,000 fans to Common Road and it's important that the Evesham public rally round their side in view of Bromsgrove's far greater fan base.

It should be an absolute cracker of a climax to what has been a truly remarkable Divi-sion One West campaign that threatened to end in ignominy for Dave Busst's men on Monday.

An out of sorts Evesham needed a goal from Jermaine Clarke two minutes into stoppage-time to draw level and then prevented the need for a penalty competition when Richard Ball tapped in the winner with a minute of extra-time remaining.

Heart-stopping

It was heart-stopping stuff for the home faithful who had seen Busst's charges see 3,780 minutes of effort and commitment during 42 league matches almost tossed aside within 20 seconds of the opening whistle.

That was the time it took for Ashford to string three passes together and for Jacob Mingle to bundle the ball past Tim Clarke.

Neither goalkeeper was called into serious action during the 90 minutes and Eve-sham's attacking attempts were futile considering the importance of the contest.

Striker Clarke and the frustrating Matty Hall both shot over in the first half and, when an error by the otherwise immaculate Stuart Hamilton, left Mingle clear on goal, the dream of top flight soccer looked set to turn into a nightmare.

However, Town's goal hero couldn't repeat his effort of 62 minutes earlier and the visitors were made to pay.

Substitute Gavin O'Toole curled a 75th minute shot wide while only some last-ditch defending kept Evesham at bay with Russell Ganderton saving his side with a goalline clearance three minutes from time.

The home side's late rally paid dividends in the second of three injury-time minutes when Clarke's looping header from Grant Pinkney's cross finally beat Tony Wells.

The goal prompted jubilant celebrations by fans, players and United's manager who was then amazingly dismissed to the stand for encroaching on to the field of play!

Ball twice saw half-chances go begging as overtime started but it was Shane Graham who came within inches of restoring Ashford's lead but his left-footed drive flew the wrong side of an upright.

Steve Duncan narrowly failed to connect with Hall's cross, while Ball was similarly frustrated when the top scorer was superbly picked out by O'Toole.

With the dreaded shoot-out looming, Clarke headed goalwards, fired in a fierce shot that Wells could only parry and Ball was on hand to sidefoot in the winner and send the home fans into raptures.