Keeper woe in defeat

ANOTHER penalty, another red card and another odd goal defeat. That was the tale of another tortuous Tuesday for the Robins who should really have taken all three points, writes Mervyn Collins.

They twice came from behind on a wretched night at the Spencer Stadium but a disappointing second half display allowed the home side to snatch the points after Dave Adey had been rightfully dismissed five minutes from time.

The goalkeeper upended Matty Good-erick a yard outside his 18-yard area and the subsequent free-kick was deflected over the crossbar by the wall positioned by replacement keeper Darren Knurek.

However, the corner caused panic in the Evesham rearguard and the unfortunate Knurek could only punch the loose ball into his own net.

If it was tough on the teenager then it was even tougher on the outfield players who had shown a new-found confidence in the opening 45 minutes.

They should have held the interval advantage after Rob Taylor fired a 20-yarder over the top, Richard Ball was denied by Simon Tricker who then could only watch helplessly as John Williams guided a headed follow-up the wrong side of a post.

Ball fired a left-footer over the top, a shot from Williams produced a fine stop by Tricker before the keeper's poor kick gave Williams a clear sight of goal 40 yards out but Tricker recovered to smother the shot.

Banbury had created little at the opposite end but a hopeful cross from the right saw Andy Baird outjump Anthony Watson and the visitors were behind with 14 minutes of the first half remaining.

Parity was restored four minutes later when Williams latched on to a short back pass and slid the equaliser past a sprawling Tricker.

Evesham had an escape before the break when Gooderick charged down Adey's clearance only for Baird's shot to strike the inside of an upright before being cleared.

Adey denied Gooderick after the break when Evesham failed to make the most of playing with the wind and rain behind them. Taylor wasted numerous corners and, when he finally got an inswinger right, Tricker helped the ball over the bar.

A flag-kick at the other end on 63 minutes saw the Robins fall behind when the referee spotted a push and Adey could only push Ady Fuller's kick into the roof of the net.

However, another corner three minutes later from Gavin O'Toole was allowed to bounce across the Banbury six-yard area and Ball was on hand to knock in his sixth goal in seven days.

It was a shame then that Evesham failed to show the slick passing and imaginative football of the first half with Matty Lewis, so impressive on the right, virtually anonymous.

Taylor played far too deep, leaving Ball and Williams without the decent service that they had thrived on during the previous game and a half.

So, perhaps United were again were their own worst enemies but at least the last two displays have instilled renewed confidence for the battle against the drop.

Hot on the heels of Jae Martin's and Adam Cooper's permanent departures and Jermaine Clarke's temporary move, Matty Hall and Guy Hadland have joined the exodus from Common Road.

Injury kept Leon Blake out of the last two games, while work commitments ruled Lee Knight out of Tuesday night's contest.

The Robins have no game this weekend with bottom of the table Northwood up at Common Road on Saturday, November 19.

How it looks at the bottom

Cheshunt 15 4 4 7 20 25 16

Cirencester Tn 14 5 1 8 11 21 16

Rugby Tn 14 4 3 7 25 33 15

Tiverton Tn 12 4 2 6 17 17 14

Aylesbury Utd 12 3 4 5 12 14 13

Evesham Utd 16 3 4 9 15 22 13

Gloucester City 15 2 5 8 21 27 11

Northwood 15 2 2 11 17 37 8