Evesham 3, Warwick 4

EVESHAM will have been disappointed with both the result and the performance in their final pre-season outing.

Warwick seemed to be far more organised throughout and their simple, yet effective, long ball strategy caught out the home side fat to often.

Manager Martin Husbands commented afterwards: "That was a wake-up call! Our concentration was poor and we must learn from this. We've conceded four very soft goals and even though we have talented players, we still have to earn the right to win".

The hosts started brightly and dominated possession but Warwick's first attack of the game caught out the home defence and the failure to clear their lines led to a short corner that led to the opener.

It was 2-0 ten minutes later courtesy of poor marking in the home penalty area.

Elsewhere, the usually dominant midfield of Matt Baumber, Steve Miller and Seb Seneque wasted possession and Stuart Harris had few chances to show his skill and power along the right wing.

It needed a fine piece of individual skill from Stuart Bearcroft to win a short corner from which Harris pulled a goal back.

Evesham managed to gain more possession after the restart but chances were again at a premium.

Bearcroft became anonymous and played in defence leaving Husbands to run fruitlessly in attack without really touching the ball.

Defensively, the home side looked fragile and Warwick scored twice in quick succession against a weak back line.

In the final ten minutes, the Vale side finally showed some urgency and Seneque and Baumber both netted from short corners to get within a goal of the visitors but the equaliser was beyond Eve-sham and would have been undeserved.

Skipper Steve Miller added: "We were poor and need to show greater resolve in defence and that means all eleven players."

Evesham begin their league campaign against Solihull Blossomfield at Evesham High School on Saturday at 1.30pm.