Rugby Town 1-3 Evesham United

Southern League Premier Division

Tuesday, 23rd August 2005

Attendance | 255

Rugby slipped to their first defeat of the season on Tuesday night, when two late Evesham goals from Guy Hadland and Jamie Bailey secured them the points at Butlin Road .

The Valley had taken the lead on 17 minutes through Chris Tullin in a first half which had seen the home side dominant from the off.  However, Evesham pulled level on the stroke of half-time, and emerged a much stronger force in the second period.

Rugby manager Billy Jeffrey was obviously disappointed with the result.  He said : "We totally controlled the first half, and really should have killed them off then. They changed things around after the break, took control of the middle of the park and it became a different game."

After a series of fine performances as a substitute, Jeffrey gave a first start of the season to young striker David Stone in place of James Rowe, and also promoted Matt Green from the bench to replace the unavailable Jon Nichols.  Stone looked lively in the game's opening exchanges, as did left wing-back Danny Williams - facing his old club for the first time since his move to Butlin Road .

Williams neat turn and low drilled shot set the tone for the half after just 3 minutes. Rob Maddox blazed over less than a minute later and then Kevin Slinn's header from a Stone cross looped agonisingly over the bar.  Rugby finally gained reward for their efforts when another Stone cross from the right hand side, found its way to Chris Tullin in space in the box, who brought the ball down well and fired it low into the corner of the net.

Further Rugby pressure found them unable to increase their lead.  Another Williams effort from outside the penalty area on 20 minutes brought a fine save from Karl Lewis.  Shortly after a Rory Squire header from a Green long throw saw Lewis scrambling to keep the ball out and then, in what turned out to be the turning point of the game, Slinn missed a golden opportunity to double the Town's advantage when he blazed his close range shot straight at the keeper with the whole goal to aim at.

At the other end, Hadland saw his 30 yard strike only parried by Stevie Wilson, though fortunately Williams was on hand to clear up the loose ball.  However in the closing exchanges of the half, Evesham got themselves back in the game when a rare loss of concentration in the heart of the Rugby defence allowed Richard Robinson the time and space to turn and curl his shot from the edge of the box past a diving Wilson and into the net.

Evesham's Richard Ball twice hit the woodwork within a minute shortly after the restart.  First he saw his rising shot crisply strike the crossbar and despite appeals that the ball had the bounced down beyond the goal line, the referee waived play on.  From the resulting corner, it was Ball again that was unlucky to see his shot rebound off the right hand post.

The introduction of Simeon Williams did bring some spark back to Rugby's play, and his cross on 72 minutes found Slinn, whose shot was well-saved by Lewis, and Williams himself screwed his shot wide ten minutes later.

Two minutes from time, Guy Hadland launched another long range effort more in hope than with any real intent.  However the ball clearly deceived a back-tracking Wilson in the Rugby goal, and all he could do was help the high ball into the net - to the delight of the traveling fans behind him.

With Rugby now chasing the game for an equaliser, Evesham extended their lead in the final minute of the game when a Robinson cross found an unmarked Jamie Bailey, who calmly stroked the ball home to confirm victory for ex-Coventry City defender Dave Busst's side.

Rugby Town | Wilson , Tullin, Gordon, Peaks, Gould, Squire, Green (S.Williams 65), Maddox, Slinn (Thompson 75), Stone, D.Williams.  

Subs not used | Hazel, Wesley, Smeathers

Goal | Tullin 17

Evesham United | Lewis, Watson, O'Sullivan, Knight (Pinkney 45), Cooper, Hadland, Hall (Bailey 78), Blake, Ball (Duncan 78), Martin, Robinson.  

Subs not used | Knurek, Bowyer

Booked |  Hall 48

Goals | Robinson 45, Hadland 88, Bailey 90

Referee | Steve Cook (Belper)