EVESHAM United climbed into third place in Southern League Division One South thanks to a dramatic 2-1 victory over Blackfield & Langley on Saturday.
The hosts played more than 50 minutes with ten men following the sending-off of Nathan Summers but secured a hard-earned three points over their Hampshire visitors in a match which saw United winger Tyrone Tucker-Dixon collapse following an accidental boot to the underside of his jaw.
Thankfully, Tucker-Dixon is expected to make a full recovery from the concerning head injuries sustained when he initially played on before collapsing.
Evesham boss Paul Collicutt said: “Everyone at the club is truly grateful to head sports therapist Ally Major who was quickly on hand along with her counterpart from Blackfield & Langley.
“He has had headaches and sickness since but has been recovering and it looks like there will be no lasting problems.
“It goes without saying everyone at Evesham United wishes Tyrone a speedy recovery.”
Saturday’s encounter was a slow-burner initially and the closest either side came to opening the scoring in the first third of the game was a Will Tunnicliff header which was cleared off the line by visiting skipper Sam Poole.
However, the breakthrough arrived in the 37th minute when Nick Hancock’s throw-in found Cory Simpson on the edge of the Blackfield box and, following by a superb turn, Simpson netted with a sublime left-footed strike into the top corner.
However, tempers then flared and two minutes later Summers was dismissed following an altercation with Charlie Urry. However, the Robins survived unscathed until half-time when Joe Tumelty was sacrificed to bring on defender Nick Humphreys.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Evesham began the second half the better of the two sides as Simpson, Tunnicliff and Marley Thomas all had chances to increase their lead.
A deserved second goal finally came United’s way on 75 minutes when Hancock’s corner was headed in by Humphreys whose firm header gave visiting keeper Lewis Noice no chance.
However, Tucker-Dixon was then injured in the 83rd minute and, after several minutes of treatment, was stretchered off and, having used all three substitutes, the hosts were down to nine men.
Blackfield reduced their arrears in the ninth minute of stoppage time when Fatah Maklhuufi netted from close range but Evesham survived three further minutes to bag their third win of the campaign and move on to nine points from four matches.
United are without a game this weekend following their early FA Cup exit and return to league action with a trip to Slimbridge on Wednesday.
