EVESHAM United’s bid to topple league leaders Taunton Town was damaged beyond repair by two goals in the opening 12 minutes of Saturday's 3-0 defeat.

Dan Sullivan opened the scoring, cutting inside the sliding Leroy Odiero before blasting past exposed keeper Kevin Sawyer at the near post in the seventh minute.

And it did not take long for the Peacocks to find a second as Matt Wright spread the play from a cluster of Evesham defenders on the edge of the box for Mitchell Pierce to drill past Sawyer following his lung-busting run down the right.

At the other end, Nick Hancock’s swirling free-kick was glanced wide by ex-Taunton striker Lewis Powell but Sawyer was kept busy with Sullivan stinging his palms again before the break.

Evesham chased the game to no avail in the second half and it was all over six minutes from the end when Ross Staley broke and released Sullivan on the left of the box to fire past Sawyer once more.

After the match, midfielder Lorcan Sheehan announced his departure from United with Southern League West rivals North Leigh his likely destination.

Robins: Sawyer, Dovey, Odiero (Francis, 60), Haskayne, M Williams, A Williams (Sheehan, 75), Bryan, Hancock (Brown, 70), Powell, Fahy, Bennett. Unused subs: Turley, Rhodes.

Attendance: 246.