Throw away lead in title torment
10:36am Monday 14th April 2008
Evesham United 2, Barton Rovers 2
WHAT could have ended up a sparkling afternoon turned distinctly flat as Evesham threw away a two-goal lead with the Division One Midlands championship firmly in their grasp.
Leading 2-0 courtesy of a Mark Owen brace 15 minutes from time and knowing that Leamington were only drawing at Woodford, the champagne was on ice.
However, the Brakes took the lead and added a third before full-time while Barton netted twice themselves to leave the Robins four points clear going into the final two matches.
Amazing It should be enough to guarantee the championship but nothing will be taken for granted especially in the wake of Saturday's amazing turnaround.
Having conceded two goals in their previous six games, it was inconceivable that Evesham should concede two inside 15 minutes.
Yet they did as Tony Fontenelle made it 2-1 with a free header after 79 minutes and the scorer's aerial presence then saw Nathan Vaughan spill a cross five minutes later and Tony Thorpe netted the loose ball.
Vaughan then turned Fontenelle's stoppage-time shot for a corner after a rare error by Steven Hands before the goalkeeper showed his other side after the final whistle when he was red-carded after comments made to the referee.
The sight of Owen and Hands loudly exchanging words during the warm down was another ridiculous episode of an amazing afternoon at St George's Lane where the league leaders should have won convincingly.
Owen shot straight at the Barton keeper when clean through after 22 minutes and Hands saw his header 13 minutes later thump against the crossbar.
However, Owen seized on a mistake three minutes before the break to round Martyn Patching and make it 1-0 and the interval lead was doubled when the striker made it 30 for the season with a deflected shot.
When news of Leamington falling behind three minutes into the second half filtered through, the title was within United's grasp.
Frazer Toms flashed an effort inches wide of Vaughan's left-hand post before Mark Hands shot wide with only Patching to beat after good work from Owen and Daniel Lennon.
That didn't look like it was going to prove costly until Fontenelle's header but, when substitute Allando Davis laid the ball back for Owen three minutes later, 3-1 seemed a certainly.
Costly The top scorer, though, lifted his shot over an empty net from six yards and that did prove costly when Thorpe took advantage of Vaughan's mistake.
It could have been worse had Vaughan not denied Fontenelle in injury-time and it will take some strong words from manager Paul West to prevent the unthinkable happening against Woodford on Saturday.