BOSS Paul Collicutt remained upbeat after watching fellow promotion hopefuls Tiverton Town end Evesham United’s five-match unbeaten run with a 2-1 victory at Ladysmead on Saturday.
The Devon outfit became the second side to do the double over the Robins this season as their leading scorer Levi Landricombe scored twice before latest United signing Matt Williams reduced the visitors’ arrears with 13 minutes remaining.
The home side also missed a first half penalty as Kevin Sawyer made a brilliant save to keep out Landricombe’s spot-kick.
However, Collicutt remained positive and believes his side are more than capable of clinching a top five finish over their four remaining fixtures.
“I can’t be too critical because we’d been on a decent run but I felt we did enough to come away with something from the game,” said Collicutt.
“We created more chances than them, especially in the first half, but we defended poorly for their first goal and got punished.
“It was a competitive game between two sides aiming for the play-offs but on the day we didn’t get what we deserved.
“Our fate is in our own hands and we move on to prepare ourselves for a six-pointer with Mangotsfield at the Jubilee stadium on Saturday.”
United looked bright and breezy at the beginning with Mark Magee forcing Joe Perry into a diving save and then pulling his shot wide with only Perry in his sights.
However, after a promising start, a ball in from the left on six minutes scuffed its way across the United box to the unmarked Landricombe who made no mistake from six yards.
United responded but lacked composure in front of goal, although Adam Mann, Garyn Preen and a couple of Liam Harding headers did threaten at the other end.
The home side then had the opportunity to extend their lead on 23 minutes but Landricombe’s penalty was pushed aside by the evergreen Sawyer after Owen Howe had been fouled in the box by skipper Linden Dovey.
Magee had another opportunity leading up to half time but again failed to find the target after good work by the tricky Preen on the right.
However, with 67 minutes on the clock, dangerman Landricombe stood over a free kick 20 yards out and the prolific striker curled an excellent effort into Sawyer’s top left corner to increase Tivvy’s lead.
United went pressing for a way back and reduced the arrears in the 77th minute courtesy of Matt Williams’ close range finish after Paul Fahy’s pull back from Lorcan Sheehan’s corner.
In the remainder of the game United forced a number of corners but could not find an equaliser as Perry dealt with a host of high balls into the box and in stoppage time safely gathered Ashley Williams’ overhead kick under his crossbar.
With four games to go, United remain in fifth spot, five points above Swindon Supermarine who have played the same number of games and seven points ahead of Mangotsfield who have one game in hand.