EVESHAM United chalked up their third successive victory as a second-minute goal from Joe Turley proved enough to sink visitors Paulton Rovers 1-0 on Saturday.
It was a gruelling encounter at the Jubilee as both sides failed to hit the heights but there was never any shortage of endeavour.
Paul Collicutt’s Robins were grateful to have got their noses in front so early on against a lowly Rovers side who have every chance of climbing the table if they can replicate the dogged determination shown at the weekend.
The key moment arrived when Steve Davies and Joe Turley played a very neat one-two before Turley curled a fine 15-yard left-footed strike past Rob Brown in the visitors’ goal.
Evesham always looked the most likely to add to the scoring in the first half but clearcut chances were hard to come by despite the menacing set-pieces of Nick Hancock. The closest the hosts came was in the 23rd minute when Cory Simpson fired into the side-netting.
Paulton enjoyed a better spell at the start of the second half without seriously troubling Evesham keeper Andy Hannah and it was the hosts who spurned a chance to make it 2-0 when Will Tunnicliff fired over from Davies’ neat pass.
The best chance of the remainder of the game arrived on the hour mark when another Hancock free kick was met by Shayne Anson but his header went just over the bar.
The final half hour was keenly contested but the quality was not high and Evesham were simply grateful to pocket the three points which cemented fourth place in the Southern League Division One South table.
The Robins – four points behind leaders Yate Town and six above the play-off cut-off line – return to action tonight (Friday) at Bristol Manor Farm.
