Evesham Utd 1, Stourport Swifts 3

2003 couldn't have got off to a worse start for the Robins, writes Mervyn Collins.

Denied the services of a handful of regulars for various reasons, United made the perfect start on New Year's day morning when Nathan Jukes fired them ahead after five minutes.

Neil Illman and Scott Mullen then came close to seeing of Stourport who then found themselves 2-1 ahead with 14 minutes on the watch as Peter Sutton and Richard Ball both took advantage of defenders standing off.

By this time skipper Jukes was limping heavily and the hosts suffered another blow when Jay Powell was taken off for stitches to a head wound.

Jukes left the field after more treatment seven minutes before the break when Swifts had doubled their lead when Ball was again allowed the time and space to volley a third.

Danny James wasted a great chance to halve the deficit on the stroke of half-time after which things just got worse.

Torrential rain turned Common Road into a quagmire, while Mark Wolsey's handball on the line to prevent Michael Moore making it 4-1 left Evesham down to ten men with 43 minutes left to play.

Ball's subsequent spot-kick miss didn't matter as United rarely looked like getting back into the game especially as they finished with Paul Davies and substitute goalkeeper Craig Ladek up front!

Illman's late calf problem prompted Ladek's call on a day when Wesley Joyce and Shaun Pratt failed to turn up, Paul Hunter and Inderpaul Khela returned to Hinckley and Kidderminster respectively and Matt Gardiner was named on the bench but still unfit for action.