Second-half salvo sees Cleeve to home victory

BISHOP’S Cleeve produced a fine second-half display to overcome a resolute Larkhall Athletic side 4-0 at Kayte Lane, and sit seventh in the Southern League Division One South table.

The visitors had the first effort when Archie Ferris’s shot was blocked by Josh Nelmes before Toby Holland’s effort was easily saved by Larkhall ‘keeper Arthur Nasta.

Larkhall’s best opportunities of the game saw Ferris’s looping header hit the bar and fall to Max Williams who saw his shot well saved by the legs of Lewis Clayton.

Larkhall had the ball in the net just before half-time through Williams but it was ruled out for handball, and Cleeve took control after the break.

They led on the hour mark through Jay Malshanskyj, who fired in from Will Emery’s pass and added three goals in the final 10 minutes.

Holland converted from the spot after Malshanskyj was clipped by Jack Goodall, then Malshanskyj’s cross was headed in by Ross Langworthy and Nelmes headed in a Holland corner to complete the rout.

Evesham United moved into the play-off spots with their third win in a row, a 1-0 success at Westbury United.

The first half was very dull and flat with little to no chances being created - it took 41 minutes for the first decent chance as Aidan Clarke squeezed his way through four or five players with some excellent footwork and his curling effort was saved by Jonathon Hill.

Into the second half, it took 10 minutes for the deadlock to be broken as Aaron Heap slotted a through ball into the path of Levi Steele, who made no mistake.

A few minutes later shouts for a penalty were waved away by the referee after Freddy Willcox went down in what seemed to be a tangle in legs.

Twenty minutes from time Westbury had their first - and only - half chance of the game after a cross was whipped in and brilliantly tipped over by Ben Taylor.

In a clash of two play-off hopefuls in Southern League Division One Central, Cirencester Town, in fifth, drew 1-1 with sixth-placed King’s Langley.

Kings opened the scoring at the mid-point of the first half as Temiola Akinbusoye drove his penalty down the middle of the goal.

The rest the half was a bit frantic with Kings creating a couple of chances but after the interval Cirencester started strongly and just before the hour they levelled when Nick Peare headed home from close range.