Bedworth Utd 0, Evesham Utd 0

A SORRY Saturday for the top sides in Southern League Division One West saw United extend their lead despite another disappointing display, writes Mervyn Collins.

While the Common Road faithful might have been thinking that two more points had been frittered away, defeats for closest rivals Mangotsfield and Rothwell and a draw for Taunton saw the chasing pack close up with Bromsgrove, Yate, Clevedon, 3-0 winners at Sutton on Monday, and Paulton the biggest beneficiaries.

After ending Evesham's unbeaten away record, Paulton won at Rothwell, while Mangotsfield, 2-1 losers at Bedworth last Wednesday, crashed at home to lowly Burnham.

Add to that a crushing 5-2 defeat at Cleve-don for this weekend's visitors Marlow and United must be thinking their name could yet be on the championship trophy.

However, their efforts at The Oval certainly didn't have the mark of champions but they just about did enough to earn a maximum against an improving home side.

Both goalkeepers had a quiet afternoon and Dave Adey didn't have serious save to make throughout. Opposite number Dan White-house produced the save of the game to keep out Grant Pinkney's 65th minute strike after Leon Blake and substitute Aaron Farrell had combined neatly for Whitehouse to parry Blake's powerful drive into Pinkney's path.

A right-footer looked like it was arrowing into the corner but Whitehouse's outstretched fingers turned the ball for a corner.

Whitehouse was grateful for Marc Burrow's failure to guide in Gavin O'Toole's 38th minute free-kick from six yards when it looked easier to score before easily collecting Blake's 25-yarder on the stroke of half-time.

Returning to his former club, Neil O'Sullivan headed a 31st minute chance off target from another O'Toole centre, while the only other noteworthy action saw harsh yellow cards issued in the direction of Lee Knight and Jermaine Clarke.

Bedworth were a different proposition after the break and former Com-mon Road favourite Matt Coppin sliced an early chance wide.

Farrell, a former Kidderminster trainee and brought in to bolster dwindling numbers from Solihull, replaced Ravi Sangha after 55 minutes and his excellent link up with Blake almost broke the deadlock.

Stuart Hamilton replaced Steve Hands with 11 minutes left and two minutes later Lee Moore shot wide for the hosts on the counter.

However, at the end of another match if misplaced passes and disappointing final pass, Evesham, missing Steve Duncan and the Williams brothers, will have been heartened by news from elsewhere but will know that they will have to perform far better than their past two outings on the road if they are to stay at the top of the pile.

Southern League Division One West

P W D L F A Pts

Evesham Utd 20 11 5 4 33 16 38

Mangotsfield 20 11 3 6 42 30 36

Rothwell 19 11 3 5 32 21 36

Clevedon 20 11 0 9 37 29 33

Taunton 20 9 6 5 34 28 33

Yate Town 19 9 4 6 31 19 31

Bromsgrove 18 8 7 3 28 19 31

Paulton 19 9 4 6 31 26 31

Brackley 19 8 6 5 34 24 30

Marlow 20 7 7 6 38 36 28

Stourport 19 8 3 8 34 27 27

Sutton C 20 8 3 9 23 30 27

Cinderford 17 8 2 7 24 23 26

Thame Utd 17 8 2 7 22 21 26

Corby Town 20 7 5 8 28 33 26

Burnham 20 7 3 10 33 35 24

Ashford 16 6 4 6 22 19 22

Swindon S 20 4 8 8 21 28 20

Bedworth 19 5 5 9 18 31 20

Oxford City 20 5 3 12 27 39 18

Bracknell 21 5 3 13 25 47 18

Egham 17 1 2 14 10 46 5