A SPARKLING second half performance enabled Evesham United to record their first league double of the season at Common Road on Saturday, writes Mick Clewes.

Two second-half strikes from the recalled Andy Hodgetts and a goal from midfielder Steve Lutz brought the Robins back to winning ways.

A visiting defence which had leaked 30 goals already this season, a record only "bettered" by bottom club Swindon Supermarine were grateful for glaring misses from Steve McCartan and James Brown who both managed to miss from just five yards to keep the score goalless at the break.

Robins' keeper Danny Watson was limited to keeping out breakaway efforts from the Walsall club who were missing former Birmingham City forward Ricky Otto.

It was Hodgetts who broke the deadlock after 56 minutes when Bloxwich failed to clear McCartan's free-kick. The striker controlled the ball superbly before slotting it past Ross Bate.

The Black Countrymen proved difficult to break down but Lutz made it 2-0 on 67 minutes when his shot was deflected past the stranded Bate.

Hodgetts got his second seven minutes later when he forced home a cross from Andy Smith following a challenge by Lutz on the keeper.

Bloxwich competed well, so well in fact that they gained no less than five yellow cards and a red for striker Richard Ball after he aimed a petulant kick at Lutz.

Substitute Les Palmer should have pulled a goal back three minutes from time and, then to compound his misery, he struck the inside of an Eve-sham post right at the death.

Western Division

P W D L F A Pts

Clevedon 17 10 3 4 29 24 33

Chippenham 16 9 4 3 33 16 31

Halesowen 14 9 3 2 23 8 30

Solihull 16 9 3 4 32 20 30

Weston SM 16 9 2 5 35 21 29

Evesham 15 9 1 5 27 20 28

Stourport 15 9 1 5 23 20 28

Bilston 16 7 3 6 26 15 24

Gresley 15 7 3 5 21 18 24

Cinderford 16 7 3 6 23 26 24

Sutton C 16 6 4 6 15 16 22

Atherstone 14 6 3 5 24 15 21

Bloxwich 17 6 3 8 23 33 21

Mangotsfield 12 5 3 4 25 19 18

Bedworth 15 5 3 7 20 24 18

Shepshed 17 5 3 9 23 32 18

Gloucester 15 5 3 7 18 34 18

RC Warwick 17 4 4 9 19 25 16

Redditch 15 4 3 8 20 24 15

Rocester 15 3 5 7 18 28 14

Cirencester 13 2 2 9 12 31 8

Swindon S 16 2 0 14 13 33 6