ANOTHER point in the battle against relegation on an afternoon when it could easily have been none but should really have been three!

It's hard to understand just how United find themselves in such a predicament when you look at the spirit and commitment within the side - factors very much in evidence at Cossham Street last Saturday.

Two goals down with 21 minutes left on the watch, the Robins were staring defeat in the face when up stepped ace goal getter Richard Ball to apply a couple of predatory finishes - the second two minutes from time.

It was no more than Dave Busst's battlers deserved but, until they cut out conceding goals at set-pieces, their survival struggle promises to be a long and nailbiting experience.

Rob Taylor should have struck the target in the first minute but his left-footer flashed agonisingly wide. The visitors then pressed the self-destruct button when leaving Rob Claridge unmarked on the edge of the box at a corner and his header was guided inside an upright by strike partner Martin Paul.

Ball twice tested Danny Greaves in the home goal after Steve Duncan had headed the centre forward's centre wide.

Evesham had a let-off when Luke Prince was allowed a run on goal from halfway and his shot struck the top of the crossbar.

The same part of the goal was hit again on the stroke of half-time from Paul's overhead and the visiting goal had another escape two minutes after the restart when Dave Adey blocked Paul's close-range strike with the follow-up being cleared for a corner.

By this time Busst had introduced latest recruit from Studley, Shane Benjamin, in place of a limping John Williams and the new man was to have a huge impact in the second period.

The substitute tested Greaves but it was more sloppy defending that allo-wed Mangotsfield to double their lead after 52 minutes when David Ansi-nyah outmuscled Taylor before firing a 20-yarder past Adey.

Far from lying down, Evesham's shoot on sight policy saw Richie Robinson twice shoot narrowly wide while Gavin O'Toole's free-kick met the same fate.

Mark Summers spurned a great chance to tie up the spoils and guarantee the home side's first win for two months and three minutes later Ball latched on to a miscue by Rob Cou-sins to skip past Greaves and roll the ball into the empty net.

Adam Blake and Steven Hands both had tame efforts saved before Benja-min's flick on sent Ball racing clear and his clinical left-foot finish sent the Evesham following into raptures.