Evesham United vs Gresley Rovers
Easy Rovers - Andy Parker - Burton Mail
There may not be such a thing as an easy game in the Beazer Midland Division but Gresley Rovers' victory at Common Road on Saturday was as near as a team can get.
Manager Steve Dolby summed up afterwards: "It was a competent performance and they never really troubled us. In the end it was a comfortable win."
Against a side that had not won at home since November 5th Rovers hardly needed to set off any fireworks to spark a result that took them a significant step closer to the Beazer Premier Division.
On top from the off, Rovers created and missed a string of chances before taking the lead through a superb goal from new boy Mark Hurst.
Hurst's twisting and turning tormented Evesham and the striker almost set up a goal after five minutes, first playing Tony Marsden into space on the left then seeing a shot deflected over when Martin Devaney teed up the cross.
Devaney was just as much of a handful for the home defence and only a last ditch tackle by tiny sweeper Andy Smith saved the day for Evesham after the striker had powered his way into a shooting position on the left.
Hurst then provided the prompt for Paul Acklam to smack a 30-yarder against the bar before setting up Devaney for a shot that was a mite too close to keeper Chris Taylor.
Devaney went close again from Richard Wardle's excellent first-time pass before the inevitable opening goal on 22 minutes. Hurst bringing down Bob Aston's kick and exchanging passes with Devaney before curling a left-footed shot past Taylor from the edge of the box.
Acklam went close to a second after Marsden and Richard Denby had combined well to unleash him on an undermanned United rearguard, then Evesham finally had a say in the matter when Steve Pitcher scurried clear on the right to hit a cross-cum-shot that beat Aston - and the far post.
Rovers' retribution was swift and sweet, Devaney dusting himself down after being fouled on the left then meeting Graeme Rigg's perfectly placed free kick with an equally accurate header at the near post - his sixth goal in consecutive games.
Denby was just off target, Hurst again the instigator, before the half time whistle interrupted Evesham's torment, a repeat of Rovers' 5-0 Moat Ground win over the Worcestershire side looking well possible.
To the home side's credit they at least made more of a game of it, however, in a disappointing second half. Rovers took their collective foot off the pedal and Evesham even had a sniff of a goal, Pitcher and Alan Attwood both finding the net - but only the outside of it as they each fired wide from close but difficult chances.
With Rigg pushed forward fro full-back to buttress a midfield in which Wardle was already calling all the strokes, Rovers were never in danger and Gil Land was twice unlucky not to add to the scores, hitting a thumping 25-yard free kick just over the bar then meeting Denby's corner with a meaty header that Smith cleared off the line.
That man Hurst had the most spectacular near miss, however, turning superbly onto Wardle's pass before firing an angled shot that flew millimetres wide of the post.
Evesham United (0) 0
Gresley Rovers (2) 2
Scorers: Hurst 22, Devaney 34.
Evesham United: Taylor, Powell, Whittington, Fleetwood, Cotterill, Smith, Pitcher (Wright 68), Rawle (Brennan 80), Emms, Attwood, Jones.
Gresley Rovers: Aston, Foster, Rigg, Denby, Evans, Land, Wardle, Marsden, Acklam, Devaney, Hurst.
Gresley man-of-the-match: Graeme Rigg.
Referee: T J Cleasby (Eastington).
Attendance: 448
