Evesham Utd 1, Sutton Coldfield Tn 0

EVESHAM United kept the Common Road faithful on tenterhooks last Saturday before midfielder Steve Lutz secured the points with an 82nd minute strike to send the Robins into fourth place in the Dr Martens Western Division League table, writes Mick Clewes.

The home side had spent much of the game frustrated at their inability to turn territorial supremacy into goals before Lutz turned in Shaun Pratt's excellent cross from the left to send the visitors away empty-handed.

Pratt's introduction as substitute for the injured James Brown did much to add pace and power to the Evesham front line where Stuart Payne worked tirelessly throughout.

A swirling wind and hard pitch made control difficult but it was the home side who made most of the running in the first half prompted by Mark Wolsey who earned himself a yellow card after clattering Sutton's Tim Steele from behind.

Chances were few and far between as United's Jay Powell powered a header just wide from a Steve McCartan corner, and Stuart Payne almost had the ball in the net after Sutton keeper Darren Alden spilled the ball.

The second half was a similar story as Evesham dominance limited the Royals to breakaway efforts, mostly through Mark Bellingham who also tried a curling left-footed free-kick that flashed just wide of the post.

The Sutton keeper kept his side in the game when he saved firstly from Pratt and then at close range from Payne as United kept up the pressure.

Steve Taylor came on for Phil Preedy as Phil Mullen's men pressed forward in search of a winner.

Payne had several chances to break the deadlock and should have scored after 75 minutes when he had only Alden to beat but he lobbed the ball over the bar.

After Lutz's late strike the visitors almost snatched a point when substitute Linton Bailey had a fine shot superbly tipped over by Darren Steadman in the Evesham goal and then in the dying seconds of injury time the keeper reacted smartly down to his right to a goalbound header from centre back Steve Farmer.