Debutant McGrory strikes late to fire Robins to victory - The Evesham Observer

Debutant McGrory strikes late to fire Robins to victory

Evesham Editorial 25th Aug, 2015 Updated: 20th Oct, 2016   0

Evesham United 1 Winchester City 0

EVESHAM United bagged their first home win of the Southern League Division One South & West season as new signing Louis McGrory capped an impressive debut by sinking visitors Winchester City with a goal in the second minute of injury time on Saturday.

Midfielder McGrory has arrived at the Jubilee Stadium on a month’s loan from National League side Forest Green Rovers and the 18-year-old wasted no time making an impact as he helped the Robins to their second win of the campaign, which lifted them to 13th place with seven points from five games and ended City’s unbeaten start to the season.

United were also indebted to experienced goalkeeper Kevin Sawyer who once again produced some excellent saves to keep out a Winchester strikeforce that arrived at the Jubilee Stadium having found the net 19 times in their opening four games.




The first half was slow to get going with defences on top and the first real effort at goal arrived when United’s Clayton Green headed George Washbourne’s cross just over the crossbar at the back post.

Soon afterwards, there was drama at the opposite end when Danny Cann struck the United woodwork which led to a mamouth goalmouth scramble resulting in Sawyer – with the help of the United defence – somehow keeping out two goalbound shots with brave blocks before the danger was eventually cleared.


The game opened up more in the second half as both sides looked more threatening in front of goal.

The hosts’ Sean Wood tested Brendon Norris in the City goal and then Adam Mann forced Norris to save low down at his near post.

Winchester, however, continued to look a tidy unit going forward but found Sawyer in top form. First the giant stopper brilliantly kept out the dangerous Cann who had got clean through on goal and then Adam Roberts suffered the same fate when Sawyer spread himself to make another breathtaking stop.

The visitors looked to be heading back to Hampshire with a point but, for all their organised defending, they could do nothing to prevent McGrory’s 92nd minute goal when the youngster side-stepped a defender in the box before finding the corner of Norris’ net for United’s last-gasp winner.

It was a much-needed win for the Red and Whites and a confidence booster ahead of Saturday’s important FA Cup preliminary round tie at Northern Premier League Division One side Chasetown.

Should an FA Cup replay be required, it will take place at the Jubilee on Tuesday. If not and subject to Banbury United not being involved in a replay themselves, Paul Collicutt’s Robins will visit Banbury on Bank Holiday Monday (3pm) in a league game.

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