Match Preview: Southern League Premier South
Evesham United vs Basingstoke Town
When: Saturday 12th August 2025 Kick-off 7.30pm
Where: The Spiers & Hartwell Stadium, Cheltenham Road, Evesham, Worcs. WR11 2LZ
Evesham United (The Robins), 2024-25 League Finished N/A
Three points and a clean sheet on opening day, will do nicely, as we head to Worcestershire, to take on Evesham Utd, who won the Southern League Division one South playoffs last season, beating Malvern Town. We last played at Evesham in the league back in December 2019, losing 3-1 with just Ben Cook our only remaining player from that game.
Our Opponents
The Robins (Evesham’s version) are managed by Mike Ford, who as a player played for Cardiff City and Oxford United, where he played almost 500 times, before retiring through injury. His management career includes two caretaker roles at Oxford Utd, before moving onto Oxford City, and then five years managing Banbury Utd. He then spent a season at St Ives, before joining the Robins last season.
He then managed Oxford City, (2009-2014) leading them to promotion to the National League Southern Division. He then moved to Banbury United (2015-2020) where he gained promotion from Evesham’s level in 2016, before establishing them in the Premier Division. He helped manage St. Ives Town last season.
Following last season’s promotion, they enter this season with high hopes and like Basingstoke, got off to an opening day, as they beat Weymouth 3-1 last Saturday. Their forward line starts with last season’s top goal-scorer Levi Steele, who scored twenty goals last season, and was previously at Easington Sports, North Leigh and Pershore Town before returning to the Robins last season. Ethan Dunbar joined from Bishops Cleeve, and is a hardworking, right-footed forward who started out in 2021-22 with Longlevens AFC before moving to Slimbridge in 2022-23, then onto Bishops Cleeve where he scored 39 goals in two seasons with them. Andre Wright, scored eight league goals last season at Evesham, having spent time at Stratford Town & Mickleover previously. Young Will Owens is in his fourth season with the Robins, having spent loan deals at Bedford Town & North Leigh, whilst at Oxford Utd.
Amer Awadh led the side last Saturday, and is regarded as an attacking midfielder who came through the youth system at Oxford City, and has played at Banbury Utd Nuneaton Borough and North Leigh, before joining Evesham. Aaron Heap represented Northern Ireland at youth international level. He began his career with Kidlington, signing on a scholarship for Oxford United in April 2016. He joined North Leigh and then signed for Banbury United in August 2020. He returned to North Leigh where he was a regular in the past two seasons, before joining the Robins last season. Josh Barlow scored seven times last season for the Robins, having previously starting three games in the EFL Trophy for Shrewsbury Town. He also spent time at Banbury Utd before coming to Cheltenham Road.
In defence they have Welsh-defender Ioan Richards, who was on a season-long loan at Swindon Supermarine from Gloucester City, before joining the Robins this season. 18 year-old Cameron Walter has joined Evesham on loan from Cheltenham Town, and is regarded as a defender, who can also play in a midfield role. Jyrel Bojang joins Evesham from Pershore Town having previously played at Studley. In goal on Saturday was Jenson Kilroy who appears to be on a months loan the club. This is likely to be cover for veteran keeper Alex Harris, who has a wealth of experience playing for title winning sides such as Cinderford Town & Hereford, before playing for Merthyr Town. He did spend a season with Penybont of the Welsh National League, before signing for Evesham last season.
Our Basingstoke Town Side
A deserved victory, helped by Simon Grant’s strong performance in goal, gives us a good platform, as we head out on the road for two long trips in five days. A fortunate goal (which we will take every day), from George Reid, and a late penalty finish by incoming Charlie Austin, was the difference between the two sides. The win puts us in fourth place, a place below tomorrow night’s opponents Evesham. What should be noted was the strong overall team performance as we outbattled Wimborne in key areas of the pitch.
If the strikeforce lacked that final polished finish Saturday, it was made up for in battling tenacity, as Robbie Gallagher & George Reid were back to their best, giving Wimborne’s defenders continuous problems throughout the game. Tomorrow night, I see no real change in how we set-up whilst Charlie Austin regains his fitness, and thus will start on the bench once again. This leaves Gallagher, Reid & Bradley Wilson to headline the area. Joel Rollinson put in a good if not short league debut for the club, and will be another one that Dan can call on when needed.
The midfield saw Josh Green & Connor Barratt win more than their fair share of midfield battles and it was Josh’s neat work that started the move for the opening goal. D’Andre Brown also put in a fighting eighty-minute performance. Ben Cook, also kept the pressure on Wimborne, when he replaced Connor Barratt for the last thirty minutes of the game. I assume James Dickson is still not 100%, otherwise he would have be an option for the matchday squad.
The defence only gave half-chances to the Wimborne forward line on Saturday, and will likely set-up in a similar pattern tomorrow night, with Billy Upton & Jack Ball in the centre, with Markus Johnson-Schuster on the right, and Joe O’Loughlin after a strong debut on the left. Likely back-ups will remain as Scott Armsworth & Elliott Legg. Whether Ben Jefford is fit to make the bench is unclear.
Simon Grant yet again proved his worth, with a fine display and his first clean sheet, hopefully of many this season.
The first of very many long Tuesday night trips, will be a real test against what will be a confident Evesham side, but as always we have the players to deal with any opposition on the day. It would be good to see Bradley & Robbie get on the scoresheet tomorrow night.
For those going, let’s get behind Dan and the players.
Match Preview by Martin French..
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