EVESHAM United were made to pay for a string of missed chances as visitors Larkhall Athletic bagged a late equaliser to clinch a 1-1 draw and extend the Robins’ run of games without a victory to seven in all competitions.
Paul Collicutt’s men should have been home and hosed by the time Jack Dancey’s deflected 88th-minute shot rescued a share of the spoils for the visitors from Bath on Sunday.
The fact the hosts had not put the outcome beyond doubt will be of big concern to Collicutt as his side – now down to seventh – prepare to host Cirencester Town – a place and point below the Robins with two games in hand – on Saturday.
It was the first chance for the Evesham faithful to see new signings in action as Andy Hannah made his debut between the sticks and left-sided Adam Page made his home bow having played against Moneyfields the previous weekend.
The match began in physical fashion with neither side willing to give any quarter and the first meaningful chance came the visitors’ way when Evesham old-boy Lewis Powell linked up with Hope to create an opening for Alex Lambert who scuffed his shot wide to the left of the goal.
Evesham gradually got on top and Will Wellon headed just wide from Page’s corner before Will Tunnicliff showed his desire on 26 minutes when he picked the ball up on the halfway line and made a surging run towards goal before firing just over.
However, Tunnicliff’s commitment was rewarded on 37 minutes when he exchanged passes with Page in a fine move before deftly chipping the ball over Larkhall keeper Shaun Semmens to put the hosts ahead.
The second half was dominated by Evesham but Jacob Davidge wasted a glorious chance to make it 2-0 when he fired into the side-netting despite being presented with a decent chunk of an open goal.
More chances came and went as Joe Tumelty was denied and Cory Simpson headed against the bar and the misses proved costly late on when Dancey’s shot was deflected into the goal following the visitors’ first corner of the match.
The Robins, now seven points adrift of Southern League Division One South leaders Yate Town having played a game more, are also in action on Tuesday when they travel to Hampshire to face Winchester City.