EVESHAM United rescued a point at home to Yate Town on Saturday but were left frustrated after seeing their run without a victory extend to seven games in all competitions.
The Robins were dominant in the 1-1 Southern League West draw but looked set to take nothing from the Jubilee Stadium clash until Carl Brown struck in the 84th minute.
United sit sixth in the table, although leaders Taunton Town are now ten points clear of Paul Collicutt’s side with a game in hand.
The hosts meant business and in the opening minutes Matt Liddiard headed just over the bar and, following some good link-up play with Ethan Moore, Adam Mann had his shot blocked by Yate defender Sam Blake.
The game continued to be played in the Yate half with Evesham having most of the possession, whilst the visitors looked happy to soak up the pressure the home side were putting them under.
Hit them on the break was exactly what Yate did in the 32nd minute when Ben Brooks tapped the ball into an unguarded Evesham net with keeper Kevin Sawyer stranded.
The visitors’ plan had worked and Evesham were once again struggling at home but, undeterred by going behind, United still pushed and probed into the visitors’ half, finishing the first half as they had started it.
Liddiard’s headed effort from Bradley Gray’s cross was well saved by Harvey Rivers before in the sixth minute of injury time Brown had his shot saved by the foot of the Yate keeper on the line.
The second half began with more Evesham pressure and Lewis Powell saw his shot pushed around the post by Rivers before the striker had the ball in the net after 52 minutes, only to see the effort ruled out for offside.
Matt Bennett’s 30-yard strike looked like it was goalbound only to be tipped over the bar by Rivers, with the Yate keeper seemingly on a one-man mission to increase the home side’s recent Jubilee misery.
In the 65th minute the game looked to have taken a turn in Evesham’s direction when the visitors were reduced to ten men when Mayson Evans received his second yellow card.
The Bristol side retreated even more into their shell and a brilliant Powell strike was kept out by Rivers in the 69th minute, but Collicutt’s side finally restored parity six minutes from time when two substitutes combined as Jordan Bryan’s pinpoint cross was met by the head of Brown whose header found the back of the net.
United pushed for a winner but it was not to be and they will bid to return to winning ways at Slimbridge on Saturday before visiting local rivals Bishops Cleeve on Tuesday.