Two sent off as Evesham fall to defeat at play-off rivals
EVESHAM United finished with nine men as they went down 3-1 at play-off rivals Yate Town. The visitors made a lightning start. Kane Simpson netted a Marley Thomas cross from close range to give them the lead after nine minutes and soon afterwards it should have been 2-0 when the same player somehow managed to lift the ball over the crossbar from a few yards out.
It was almost on the half hour mark before Yate fashioned a meaningful attempt on goal, Nick Peare flashing a long range shot just wide of the post.
Peare was to feature prominently as a largely dull first half was dramatically brought to life in the ten minutes before the break.
David Sims-burgess equalised from the penalty spot after Peare had been brought down by a tackle on the line that resulted in Evesham defender Linden Dovey being shown a straight red card.
Minutes later, Peare was dismissed himself after a challenge on Evesham goalkeeper Andrew Hannah before Sims-burgess made it 2-1, again with a penalty, this time awarded after a blatant push on Mike Bryant.
At the beginning of the second half Evesham looked the more dangerous attacking side as they brought Lewis Thomas into play.
The Yate goalkeeper did well to save an Archie Haskayne ground shot as it came through a crowd of players and was more alert soon afterwards when a Kane Simpson free kick was bent around the wall and appeared to be heading just inside the post.
The home side needed a further goal to settle it and it duly came on 69 minutes.
Ollie Mehew held the ball up well after a counter-attack up the left and after swapping passes with an in-space Jack Twyman slotted in his ninth goal of the season.
Kai Fisher was the second Evesham player to see red, picking up a second yellow card with 10 minutes left.
Meanwhile fellow play-off hopefuls Cirencester went to Winchester with a depleted squad and despite a spirited, late rally they had left themselves too much to do to snatch a point in a 3-2 loss.
The Centurions started with the wind and rain at their backs but an eager home side looked dangerous before Simba Mlambo latched onto a defensive header to open the scoring.
As the interval approached Cirencester conceded a second when a corner kick from the right rebounded off a defender for an own goal.
After half-time, Winchester increased their lead when a Joe Hayward cross from the right reached Mlambo at the far post and his header was parried, but Tyrell Mitford who had the simple task of heading home from a yard.
Six minutes later Cirencester pulled a goal back through Antonio Gerrish and Ben Whitehead scored a second from the penalty spot leading to a frantic final few minutes but Winchester ran down the clock to secure their victory.