MATT Williams struck twice as Evesham United battled through two injuries and the late dismissal of Archie Haskayne to claim the derby bragging rights with a 3-2 triumph at Bishop's Cleeve.

Evesham looked like scampering away with the points in El Collico – a playful reference to Robins boss Paul Collicutt's stint in charge of Cleeve – with Adam Mann and Williams notching in the opening 12 minutes.

Mann's 10th-minute shot into the bottom right corner was followed swiftly by a header from Williams.

The withdrawals through injury of Carl Brown and Mann hampered United's cause with Elliot Kennedy's penalty following a handball by Matt Bennett providing hope for the hosts shortly before the interval.

Crucially, Williams ensured Evesham regained their two-goal cushion during the dying embers of the first half, crashing in from substitute Nick Hancock's delivery.

It could have been all over had Bennett's thumped header dropped under rather than against the crossbar just past the hour. Kennedy then went even closer for Cleeve by pelting the underside of the bar but Jack Watts soon scored a second for the Mitres to tee up a grandstand finish.

Undeterred, Evesham went on the attack and were agonisingly close to stretching their legs again when Williams and Mat Liddiard were denied in a goalmouth scramble.

However, keeper Kevin Sawyer also earned his corn with smart stops from substitute Will Tunnicliff and Watts before a late lunge saw Haskayne pick up a second caution two minutes from the end.

There was no late flurry, though, as Evesham sealed a second away win in four days to move up to third in Southern League West.

Robins: Sawyer, Dovey, M Williams, Bennett, Bryan, Haskayne, Liddiard, Brown (Hancock, 29), Fahy, Mann (Francis, 32, Odiero, 89), Powell. Unused subs: Sheehan, A Williams.

Attendance: 219.