Match report:Southern League Division One SouthEvesham United FC 1Bashley FC 2BASHLEY gave their fans something to cheer on the final day of the season, beating Evesham United – who started the day with slim hopes of snatching the league title – at The Spiers & Hartwell Stadium on Saturday.If the league winners, Yate Town, had lost, and Evesham United had won while scoring enough goals, they could have ended the day as victors. However, Bashley had other ideas.Bashley chairman Steve Lewis summed up the final day like this: “I could say we pulled off a shock away win – but the way we’ve been playing recently, and how we played today, it’s not actually a surprise.“Excellent performance, excellent result.”He added: “Big thanks to our fans, so loyal at home, and so many who have travelled hundreds of miles to support us away in this widespread division.”The win, which came thanks to goals from Scott Bungay and Lewis Ross, means Bashley go one better than last year, finishing the season in 14th.When time ticked to just the 10th minute, the bumper 525 crowd dared to dream when Levi Steele gave Evesham the lead.Evesham’s goal had a tinge of good fortune. In a video replay of the goal posted on Evesham’s social media account, Steele was shown a couple of yards offside when livewire Will Owens played the ball into him from the left wing. Nonetheless, Steele turned to beat Mack Allan with a low shot from six yards.With 29 minutes played, Brett Williams, playing again in defence, had ventured upfield and was brought down in the penalty area. Ross produced a textbook spot kick. The keeper dove to the right, but the ball went the other way, and Bashley were level.It almost got better when Bungay found room for a shot that was cleared off the line. It frustrated the young striker, with the industrious attacker due a goal after several weeks of bad luck.Allan, perhaps playing his last game for Bash as he forges on in his career with AFC Bournemouth, made a terrific flying tip-over save from André Wright’s header.Evesham knew they had no margin for error with a league title hanging in the balance. However, one soon arrived. Four minutes into the first-half stoppage-time, keeper Alex Harris spilt the ball, and Bungay reacted fastest to tap it in. In the second half, the game turned scrappy, with Bashley taking an iron grip, which denied the home side much of a sniff at goal.In fact, the most incisive goal-mouth action came at the other end. With a new spring in his step, Bungay tried a cheeky 35-yarder, which dipped wide. Then he was through one-on-one with the keeper, but Harris got the better of things this time and cleared the danger.There was time for one last Evesham flurry with Steele breaking through again, but Allan was equal to it, and Bashley just ran down the clock in confident style.Bashley: M. Allan, J. Power, B. Williams, M. Speechley-Price, S. Walker, J. Bertie, S. Bungay, L. Ross, T. Edmondson, C. Whiteley, L. Holmes. Subs: H. Bertrand, I. Furse, J. Arnold, S. Lewis, D. Walster.
Bashley gave their fans something to cheer on the final day of the season, beating Evesham United, who started the day with slim hopes of snatching the league title, at The Spiers & Hartwell Stadium on Saturday.
If the league winners, Yate Town, had lost, and Evesham United had won while scoring enough goals, they could have ended the day as victors. However, Bashley had other ideas.
Bashley chairman Steve Lewis summed up the final day like this: “I could say we pulled off a shock away win – but the way we’ve been playing recently, and how we played today, it’s not actually a surprise.
“Excellent performance, excellent result.”
He added: “Big thanks to our fans, so loyal at home, and so many who have travelled hundreds of miles to support us away in this widespread division.”
The win, which came thanks to goals from Scott Bungay and Lewis Ross, means Bashley go one better than last year, finishing the season in 14th.
When time ticked to just the 10th minute, the bumper 525 crowd dared to dream when Levi Steele gave Evesham the lead.
Evesham’s goal had a tinge of good fortune. In a video replay of the goal posted on Evesham’s social media account, Steele was shown a couple of yards offside when livewire Will Owens played the ball into him from the left wing. Nonetheless, Steele turned to beat Mack Allan with a low shot from six yards.
With 29 minutes played, Brett Williams, playing again in defence, had ventured upfield and was brought down in the penalty area. Ross produced a textbook spot kick. The keeper dove to the right, but the ball went the other way, and Bashley were level.
It almost got better when Bungay found room for a shot that was cleared off the line. It frustrated the young striker, with the industrious attacker due a goal after several weeks of bad luck.
Allan, perhaps playing his last game for Bash as he forges on in his career with AFC Bournemouth, made a terrific flying tip-over save from André Wright’s header.
Evesham knew they had no margin for error with a league title hanging in the balance. However, one soon arrived. Four minutes into the first-half stoppage time, keeper Alex Harris spilt the ball, and Bungay reacted fastest to tap it in.
In the second half, the game turned scrappy, with Bashley taking an iron grip, which denied the home side much of a sniff at goal.
In fact, the most incisive goal-mouth action came at the other end. With a new spring in his step, Bungay tried a cheeky 35-yarder, which dipped wide. Then he was through one-on-one with the keeper, but Harris got the better of things this time and cleared the danger.
There was time for one last Evesham flurry with Steele breaking through again, but Allan was equal to it, and Bashley just ran down the clock in confident style.
Bashley: M. Allan, J. Power, B. Williams, M. Speechley-Price, S. Walker, J. Bertie, S. Bungay, L. Ross, T. Edmondson, C. Whiteley, L. Holmes. Subs: H. Bertrand, I. Furse, J. Arnold, S. Lewis, D. Walster.
