EVESHAM United got off to winning ways in their Dr Martens League Western Division campaign by beating Sutton Coldfield Town 2-1 at Common Road.

Despite never looking quite sure at the back, the margin could have been greater against a Sutton Coldfield side happy to try their luck on the break.

Phil Mullen's side took the lead on 10 minutes when Joe Licata followed up a Steve McCartan shot that had been parried by Sutton stopper Tony Rowe.

Evesham made much of the early running and could have gone further ahead five minutes before the break, but Mark Wolsey stumbled in the box after going round the 'keeper.

It proved costly as, one minute before the break Leon Mitchell ran through a static Evesham defence, squared the ball across the box, leaving an unmarked Grant Beckett with the easiest of far post tap-ins.

The Robins won a fiercely competitive encounter on 52 minutes with a bizarre goal from Steve McCartan. His tame 25-yard shot managed to trickle along the ground and over Rowe's outstretched arms into the net. No-one was more surprised than McCartan who ran off with his hands over his eyes in disbelief.

On 67 minutes Evesham replaced Dean Roberts with a lively James Brown.

Evesham, though, nearly left ruing squandered chances to wrap up victory after 'keeper Damien Beattie cleared with Mitchell through, managed to survive a dramatic end-to-end climax for three points.

Surprisingly, for a match including heated tempers and a mass confrontation for an incident on the final whistle, referee John Farries didn't show any cards.

Evesham: Beattie 7, Smith 7, Pendleton 7, West 7, Powell 7, Roberts 7 (Brown 67, 7), Wolsey 7, McCartan 7, Taylor 8, Licata 7, Preedy 7. Sub not used: Shaw, Rogers.

H Star man: Steve Taylor.

Attendance: 126.