After a gap of 13 seasons, Evesham United are back in the Southern League Premier Division. Mike Ford’s team chased Yate Town all the way to the Division One South title last season, before Levi Steele’s goal defeated Malvern Town in a tense play-off final in front of nearly three thousand spectators.
Evesham have made a decent start to life back at Step 3, sitting 11th in the embryonic league table with a W2 D3 L2 GF 9 GA 8 record, which is even more impressive when you note that they have played the top three, taking two points off them. Results: Weymouth (a) won 3-1, Basingstoke (h) drew 1-1, Havant & Waterlooville (h) lost 0-1, Poole (a) drew 1-1, Gloucester (h) drew 1-1, Walton & Hersham (a) lost 1-2, Hungerford (h) won 2-1. That man Steele is in good form, having scored three in those last two games. In the FA Cup they knocked out Bromsgrove Sporting 5-2, then made a remarkable recovery to draw 3-3 at Step 4 Racing Club Warwick on Saturday after being 3-0 down, before winning the replay with the only goal of the game on Tuesday. That has earned The Robins a trip to National North AFC Telford in the next round on 27th September.
Wimborne will feature in the Third Round Qualifying too, having knocked out National South Bath City 2-1 on Saturday. Their opponents will be another National South side Worthing, who took a replay to overcome Jersey Bulls. In the Southern League Premier South, The Magpies are sitting two points and three places above The Robins with a W3 D2 L2 GF 12 GA 7 record. They are undefeated at The Wyatt Homes Stadium: Havant & Waterlooville 2-1, Uxbridge 2-2, and Weymouth 3-0, as well as that FA Cup win over Bath when Josh McQuoid and Lewis Williams scored in the first-half. Will Fletcher has four league goals to his credit, while Williams has bagged four in our two FA Cup ties. Even though Sam Roberts has made a welcome return, Tim Sills’ small squad is stretched so a week without a game will have enabled recovery from minor injuries.
In the past, Evesham have proved tough opponents on their eight visits to Dorset: The Magpies have won two, drawn two, and lost four; but in the most recent seasons Wimborne have had the upper hand drawing 0-0 in 2022-23, and winning 2-1 the following season when Harry Morgan and Sam Griffin scored.
Which Evesham players should we look out for? Well, the aforementioned Levi Steele has been a regular scorer over the seasons, and is clearly in form. Lewis Middleton, Ioan Richards and Andre Wright all scored in the cup ties, Ethan Dunbar moved across from Bishops Cleeve, and the elegant Amer Awadh has always impressed this match previewer.
The scene is set for another competitive cracker. You won’t want to miss this one, so come on down to the Wyatt Homes Stadium – after all, it’s what Saturday afternoons were made for.
As there’s limited parking at the ground in Ainsley Road BH21 2FU, if you can travel by bus, bike, or on foot it would be really helpful. However, if you do decide to travel by car and park on the nearby streets, please do so respectfully to our neighbours.
- The Morebus no.13 runs along Leigh Road from and to The Square in the town centre with stops at the bottom of Parmiter Road, a five-minute stroll from the ground.
- There is a bike park near the players’ entrance.
- A packed printed programme will be on sale.
- Admission: adults £14, concessions £8, U18s £5, U13s £2.
- Weather Forecast: Sunny intervals; 17oC; 40% chance of rain.
