Bedford Tn 1, Evesham Utd 1

SUBSTITUTE Adam Blake thundered in an injury-time header to give United a deserved point in their battle to beat the drop, writes Mervyn Collins.

Blake had only been on the field for 16 minutes when he met namesake Leon's corner to send the travelling contingent behind the goal into raptures.

And, their cheers would have been even louder had Town goalkeeper Ian Brown not fingertipped aside a fierce drive from Joel Skyers, who had only been on the park a couple of minutes, in the 93rd minute.

Manager Paul West, ably assisted by Micky Brennan, opted for width and pace in attack, recalling Shane Benjamin alongside Richard Ball and Grant Pinkney on the opposite flank to fit again Rob Taylor.

Steve Hands passed a late fitness test and again stood out along with fellow defenders Anthony Watson and Steve Luckett on another busy afternoon for the Evesham defence.

Positive

There was a far more positive outlook to the performance and a dozen attempts on goal speaks volumes for the enterprise of the new management pairing.

The visitors should have had a penalty after 12 minutes when Taylor and Jason James came shoulder to shoulder in the box but, when the latter fell to the floor and pulled the ball back with his hand, the referee deemed he had been unfairly challenged.

Luckett sent a header from Gavin O'Toole's free-kick narrowly over but Dave Adey's goal had a couple of escapes before Benjamin brought a fine save from Brown after cutting in and firing in a fine left-footed drive.

Benjamin's persistence gave the impressive Leon Blake a sight of goal but the ball flew high over the crossbar, while the midfielder's vision sent Ball racing down the left and his shot was deflected for a corner.

The top scorer picked up another booking after blasting the ball towards the flag and inadvertently hitting a Bedford fan!

Taylor's flag-kick four minutes into the second half was met by Benjamin and deflected off a defender before Brown pushed the ball over the top.

The Town keeper was again in action to keep out Ball's angled drive before Blake's astute pass and Taylor's nutmeg saw the flank man crowded out just as he was about to pull the trigger.

Blake was again the provider but Ball shot wide before Adey produced the save of the game to acrobatically tip over Rob Miller's 72nd minute chip.

Hands came to his keeper's rescue six minutes later but neither could prevent Rene Howe nodding Bedford ahead with six minutes left on the watch.

Jamie Bailey replaced O'Toole, who like Adey was struggling with a knock, and the substitute's centre evaded everyone in the six-yard area only for Ball to retrieve and again test Brown.

Adam Blake's leveller should have counted for nothing when Miller was handed a glorious chance to win it for the Eagles but his shot flew over the bar and it was the Robins who were almost flying highest when Skyers let fly only for Brown's heroics to prevent Eve-sham winning for the first time on away soil in ten matches.