|
Harriers' interest in the Worcestershire Senior Cup was ended at the Quarter-Final stage by a goal in each half from Southern League Evesham United.
Mark Yates fielded a team of fringe players and reserves, even pulling on the shirt himself to direct operations from the centre of midfield. The inexperienced Harriers team acquitted themselves well in the early stages, creating a number of chances that they could not convert. It was the visitors who looked most dangerous when attacking, however, and Steve Duncan should have opened the scoring after 20 minutes when he was picked out by Leon Blake's free kick but he headed straight at Steve Taylor. shortly afterwards Mark Owen was put clear of the Harriers defence but lobbed over the bar from the edge of the penalty area.
Harriers carved open the United defence with a long crossfield pass from Gavin Hurren that found Michael McGrath on the left flank, he beat the full back and pulled the ball back for scott Eaton who shot straight at Nathan Vaughan in the visitors' goal.. Nine minutes before the break United took the lead; Harriers failed to clear a corner and when Owen's shot was saved by Taylor the loose ball ran to Richard Ball at the far post who lashed it into the roof of the net. A wayward pass from McGrath that went straight to Ball but he shot at Taylor who was able to gather it easily.
Just after the break Luke Reynolds and Danny McGhee combined to create a chance for Eaton but he steered his shot past Vaughan and into the side netting. The game was over as a contest nine minutes into the second half; a quickly taken free kick caught the Harriers defence napping and Owen was able to cross low to the far post when Steve Lutz was on hand to fire past Taylor to double the lead. With a two-goal deficit in front of them Harriers' heads began to drop and the early promise of the first half disappeared. Whenever they did manage to break the Evesham defence down Harriers were thwarted by Vaughan who stopped everything that came his way. As the game wore on it became less and less likely that Harriers would find a way back and the match petered out tamely.
|