STRIKER Steve Davies shrugged off his penalty miss eight days earlier with a hat-trick that inspired Evesham United's 4-1 comeback victory at Fleet Town.

Manager Paul Collicutt admitted to fearing the worst when his Robins fell behind to a Meshach Williams strike early on at Calthorpe Park.

But Cory Simpson and Davies turned the tide to register a fourth win in five Southern League Division One South outings that keeps United right in the thick of the promotion chase with the boss happy to see the back of a thankless task.

“Apparently the pitch had been under water during the early hours of the morning, they managed to get it off but the playing surface was tricky,” said Collicutt.

“They don’t have much of a budget down there and have been struggling like hell but the team worked very hard and I can see them taking points. We have played against a lot worse than them, they had some good young lads.

“I always look at away wins as a big bonus and was pleased to come away with the points because conditions will deteriorate there over the next few weeks.

“They scored midway through the first half shortly after their keeper had saved one with his face. When you then concede shortly after you start to think ‘here we go’ but we scored before half-time and got the lads round for a chat during the break.

“In fairness, we played well in the second half with Steve Davies scoring a very good hat-trick.

“I was pretty chuffed for him when you think back to the penalty miss at Bristol Manor Farm. He has done really well since coming in and deserved his goals which were well taken.

“It was not pretty but all things considered, we had to be pretty happy."

Fleet took the lead after 11 minutes when Billy Oram won the ball and fed Joe Wilson on the halfway line who spotted a gap to thread in Williams to slide past Andy Hannah in the Evesham goal.

Hannah's miscued clearance presented the hosts with a perfect chance to double their money but Williams was thwarted by the keeper after Wilson had sent in the delivery.

Will Tunnicliff was on hand to prevent Wilson from pulling the trigger and Evesham quickly turned the game on its head with the equaliser after 26 minutes through the unmarked Cory Simpson on the break.

Hannah then spilled an Enow Ojong only for Harryson Wickens to shoot wide for Fleet but Evesham gradually began to impose themselves on proceedings with Joe Turley's effort from a Davies cross repelled by keeper Brendan Norris.

And it took just seven minutes for the second half to be taken over by Davis.

Hannah drove forward a free-kick from his own half which reached the Fleet box for Davies to rise and flick beyond Norris to hand Evesham the lead.

It was one-way traffic from there with visiting substitute Jacob Davidge dashing through before feeding Davies to rifle home with precision from 25 yards.

And as Fleet continued to press for a way back, the visitors broke forward through Nick Hancock who crossed for Davies to head in his third at the far post with a minute to play.

Robins: Hannah, Dovey, Tunnicliff, Turley, Anson, Wellon, Hancock, Harding, Davies, K Simpson, C Simpson. Subs: Davidge, Brown, Tucker-Dixon, K Simpson, Thomas.

Attendance: 123.