Evesham Utd 1,

Mangotsfield Utd 2

INDISCIPLINE and the failure to convert chances proved costly in Saturday's Division One West match of the day at Common Road, writes Mervyn Collins.

Wesley Joyce was again the centre of attention 13 minutes into the second half when he needlessly forearmed Gary Warren to the ground as he chased a loose ball after the two had tangled in the Mangotsfield penalty area.

The instant dismissal came after referee Ollie Langford had issued four yellow cards in the space of eight second half minutes with Joyce at the heart of the first one when he was dragged back when clear by Ollie Price who, on another day, could have walked.

Lee Knight's caution was extremely harsh in the aftermath of four first half fouls by Warren that only warranted a censure but Joyce could have no arguments and a huge question mark now surely remains over his future at the club.

He had again led the line well alongside the busy Danny Williams but clear-cut chances were scarce until Steve Duncan played in Marc Burrow after 23 minutes but the midfielder's shot hit the bar.

Six minutes later, Price's last-ditch challenge foiled Burrow who also glanced a whipped cross from Gavin O'Toole over the top after 36 minutes.

Three minutes later, a header from Duncan was hacked off the line before the marauding midfielder nodded another O'Toole centre wide.

It had proved a quiet 45 minutes for Tim Clarke at the opposite end and was the veteran goalkeeper glad about that!

He was only called into the side 20 minutes before kick-off when Dave Adey suffered a recurrence of a hamstring problem but he was hardly able to kick because of the groin injury sustained in the previous home clash.

However, he was alert enough to keep out a shot from Drew Shore that was Mangots-field's solitary effort on target in the first half.

The top of the table visitors and division's leading scorers came out a much more purposeful side after the restart and Darren Edwards saw a deflected shot strike the outside of an upright.

The spate of yellow and then the red card left the visitors firmly in the driving seat but it was Evesham who took a shock lead after 62 minutes when Duncan climbed highest at the back post to head in a cross from Simeon Williams.

It needed a miscue from top scorer Rob Claridge to bring Mangotsfield back into the game 20 minutes from time when his shot that was heading for the corner flag fell perfectly for Edwards to give Clarke no chance from 15 yards.

The goalkeeper had earlier made light of his problems to thwart the scorer and Clarke again came out on top when the visiting striker made good contact with his head at the near post.

Mangotsfield swarmed forward in search of a winner with Evesham, with Jermaine Clarke on for Danny Williams, unable to keep hold of the ball up front.

The inevitable winner came eight minutes from time when Shore was allowed time and space in the box to fire a left-footer across the gallant Clarke and leave Dave Busst again reflecting on what might have been.