DESPITE conceding a goal after just 29 seconds, Evesham United hit back to earn a 1-1 draw at Fleet Town in their opening Southern League Division One South & West fixture in Hampshire on Saturday.
The Robins made the worst possible start but went on to dominate the rest of the game, however they a cutting edge in the final third to see off a poor Fleet outfit.
Evesham, who paraded six debutants in their starting line-up, were caught cold straight from the kick-off when full back Lewis Binns failed to clear, allowing Rob Carr to race on and beat the advancing Kevin Sawyer.
This turned out to be Fleet’s only worthwhile effort on goal, leaving Sawyer a spectator for the rest of the game.
United set about looking for an equaliser and had penalty appeals turned down when Town defender Lee Bowen appeared to get a hand on Ashley Edenborough’s snap-shot in the box.
Sean Wood floated a free kick just over the bar and then Elliot Kennedy’s header landed on the roof of the net as Paul Collicutt’s men continued to press kicking down the Calthorpe Park slope.
It came as no surprise when Evesham finally equalised a minute before half time when the dangerous Edenborough was fouled on the right and from Ben Evans’ flighted free kick skipper Matt Sysum powered home an unstoppable header beyond Ryan Pryce.
The second half continued with United producing a wave of attacks, with the Fleet defence unable to cope with Evesham’s pace down the flanks.
Edenborough could easily have bagged a hat-trick but endured a series of near misses and keeper Pryce made excellent point-blank saves from that man Edenborough and substitute Aaron Drake as the final whistle blew with United on the attack but unable to find a way past the overworked Pryce.