Evesham Utd 4, Mangotsfield 0

A ROUSING second half performance at Common Road on Saturday earned Evesham an excellent victory over their promotion rivals.

Mangotsfield applied the early pressure but Evesham broke away after six minutes to gain a corner. As the flag kick came over, Richard Clark rose unopposed in the penalty box but only succeeded in putting a free header over the bar.

An uncharacteristic error by Evesham goalkeeper Damien Beattie on 17 minutes almost presented the Bristol side with the opening goal.

As he tried to kick clear an under hit back pass the ball sliced off his foot and trickled just wide of his right-hand post.

Mangotsfield, boasting the best defensive record in the section, should have taken the lead after half an hour when, from a corner, the ball fell at the feet of striker Claridge inside the Evesham goal area. However, with the goal at his mercy he completely missed his kick and the ball was scrambled clear.

Six minutes later, United's Shaun Pratt rode a couple of tackles in the Mangotsfield half and played the ball forward to Stuart Payne just inside the penalty area.

As he tried to turn he was brought down by full back Hendy and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot.

Steve McCartan stepped up to confidently stroke home the penalty to give Evesham a slender half time lead.

Whatever was said in the Evesham dressing room obviously worked as Phil Mullen's men looked a much more determined side in the second period.

In their first attack Andy Smith made a foraging run down the right and crossed for Payne to ghost in and thump a header into the net to double the lead.

Ten minutes later, with the home team starting to dominate, Pratt burst through the Mangotsfield defence and unselfishly squared the ball across the penalty area for Payne to hammer home his second goal off the underside of the bar.

As the game entered its last quarter, Mangotsfield tried to get back into the game but, with Smith clearing acrobatically inside his own penalty area and two other efforts clearing the bar, the chances came to nothing.

With ten minutes remaining, Matt Pendle-ton picked up the ball on the Evesham left and crossed for Payne to complete a superb hat-trick.

Mangotsfield pressed forward again and a good move involving Edwards and Claridge brought a fine save from Beattie to keep his goal intact.

Play again switched to the other end and a move involving Evesham substitutes Andy Hodgetts and Phil Preedy resulted in a cross being met by Smith who volleyed just over the bar.

Evesham continued to push forward and in stoppage time Preedy worked a position to send in a shot which was well saved by Paul Thompson in the Mangotsfield goal.

Home supporters in the highest league attendance at Common Road this season -315 - again applauded the players off at the end of the game after this comprehensive victory gave them the double over their promotion rivals.

With games to come at Hinckley and Tiverton and with Solihull Boro to play home and away the chase title is firmly in Evesham's hands.