Derby day delight for Bishops Cleeve at Evesham United: Mitres on the Road
- Non-League Glos
- Dec 27, 2024
- 3 min read
l admit I was tense approaching Boxing Day's derby. I don't normally get nervous but I was starting to get a bit shaky. Three points would be huge for both sides in the Southern League Division One South. Evesham United, the hosts, could extend their lead over Cleeve to seven points and solidify their position in the playoff pack while victory for the Mitres would see them climb up to sixth, one solitary point behind the Robins. From my limited experience with this fixture I knew, anecdotally, that it's not often close and the home side should always be the favourite when derby day roles around. I'd donned my lucky socks and covered them with a seldom used pair of jeans and was ready for whatever this game was prepared to throw at me.
Or so I thought.
I eventually settled behind the goal in the covered terrace on the right as you enter. There were new wooden steps which added some depth to the stand, assumably raising the capacity, and providing a better view as long as you didn't stand directly behind the goal like I did where the net was in my way. It did, however, provide something for me to bang to make noise, that being the back wall made out of the same corrugated metal that all non-league stands seem to be made of. To our left were the most vocal home fans, ten or so Evesham supporters who made some decent noise, while in front was obviously the pitch where Paul Collicut's side painted their masterpiece on the increasingly white canvas of the ever-descending fog.
The nerves built up throughout the first 14 minutes, although the Mitres were in total control. These were slightly alleviated by the explosion of emotion that followed Aaron Evans-Harriott's corner which fell to Matt Bower and was subsequently slotted home into the bottom right corner. 1-0 Cleeve 💪.
Evans-Harriott played a key role in the next key event, winning a freekick and putting a pinpoint cross onto the head of Will Turner who made no mistake and doubled Cleeve’s lead with 24 minutes gone.
It wasn’t until the 42nd minute that the hosts had their first shot on goal but it didn't trouble stand in ‘keeper Greg Lannon and dropped harmlessly wide of his left hand post. It wasn't a game full of shots in all honesty, with Evesham ‘keeper Alex Harris not making a save until the 37th minute with only Bower's and Turner's goals nearing the net previously.
The key thing for the Mitres (and Evesham to some extent) was to hold on until halftime without a goal going in. The number of times I've seen a team go two nil up then concede just before halftime and ultimately lose the match is something I have seen far too often. Cleeve did hold on and moved on to their next task, not conceding in the first fifteen minutes of the second half. Evesham came out a different side and enjoyed plenty of the ball but made Cleeve’s job easier by not mustering a single shot on target during this spell, or any other throughout the 90 minutes.
Some home supporters did seem to think they'd been handed a lifeline when one of their players went down in the box with the referee blowing and pointing towards the goalline, only he was pointing for a goal kick, not a penalty. It's one of my real bugbears (or football icks to prove I'm down with the youths these days) to blow for goal kicks. It's unnecessary. Don't do it. Don't. Please.
Anyway.
The 60th minute brought the return of Jay Malshanskyj, a statement signing and the last thing Evesham will have wanted to see going into the final stages of the game. He was up and down the touchline nonstop during his time on the pitch (that fullback could be having nightmares about Jay running at him and it's completely understandable) and played a key role in Cleeve’s third goal.
Malshanskyj played the ball to substitute Joe Turley who put in a beautiful cross to Langworthy who then headed it back across goal to Dunbar who headed it home. Any hope of a fightback, like the fog, had dissipated. Much like the fog again, the few chances Evesham did fashion all…mist.
A beautiful touch and turn from Dunbar then created the space for Cleeve’s number nine to pick out the top right corner via the crossbar to make it 4-0 with four minutes to play and wrapped up a perfect performance with aplomb👌.
All those nerves and for what? Well, they're not fully gone, they're just tucked away until Saturday when Cleeve host league leaders Yate Town at the Everyone's Energy Kayte Lane Stadium. A win and my optimism will be a tad less silent. Win on new years day too and I'lll never shut up about it.
See you there 👋.
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