It was a long trip to Evesham, but, on balance, well worth the day out. All the fans on the Supporters Coach felt that the run of poor results must come to an end soon and success is just around the corner. Perhaps it won’t happen suddenly, more a gradual return to form. If this is the case, the second half of today’s game might have been an important turning point.

The first half was just what we didn’t want it to be. One nil down with little hope of taking the game. The Evesham goal was a scrappy affair that came after 16 minutes. A corner was fisted away by Ballard, but the ball only just cleared the penalty area. Evesham picked it up and a goalmouth scramble ensued with several shots being blocked but never properly cleared. Then Thomas managed to sink the ball into the Canvey net to put the home side one nil up.

In reply, Canvey made several speculative raids into the Evesham penalty area, the best effort coming from Chris Blakeborough demonstrating the fine are of trigonometry. He put the ball 10yds over the bar from only 10yds out – quite difficult to do.

It was another case of Canvey making mediocre opposition look good. Evesham pushed the ball around on the floor whilst Canvey settled for the long lob up the middle. They found the space and ran into it, we tended to dash and hope the ball would find us. The truth is that, just like Berhamsted, the Evesham attack looked sustained, dangerous and pro-active whilst the Canvey attack looked opportunist and reactive. We were allowing them to run the game.

The second half, however, was quite different. Jamie Reilley came on for Steve Flain and immediately the front line looked different. The shape was better and sharper and there was more determination. Canvey started to construct attacks instead of letting things run their own way. Canvey’s new signing, Steve Carpenter wearing No. 10, looked hungry. He wanted to get involved and it was no surprise that he was the one to score for Canvey on 81 minutes. It was Alan Brett who set up the perfect cross for the goal and this was just reward for Bretty who, as always, gave 110% commitment.

There were all sorts of chances in the second half, and almost all of them fell to Canvey. Tilly, Bretty and Reilley came close on half a dozen occasions, but over the past few weeks the Canvey forwards seem scared to shoot. So what if it lands in the car park, if you never shoot, you never score.

Evesham were guilty of some rather obvious poor gamesmanship. In the second half when they were leading 1 – 0 they behaved like a load of Girl Guides. Every time a player was tackled he went down, rolling in agony and demanding at least five minutes attention from the trainer. Suddenly, after Canvey equalised, the home players found extra strength and the trainer wasn’t required again. Similarly, when Evesham were ahead, any replacement ball took forever to be kicked onto the field. After the equaliser, replacement balls were on the field within a nano-second of being called for.

In the end, the draw made the Canvey fans very happy. There was a time when such a result against a team like Evesham would have been viewed much less favourably, but in the present climate we must take each success as it comes and encourage the lads to move onwards and upwards. Evesham have a long journey to make on Tuesday for the replay at Park Lane (K.O. 7:30pm) and I understand that not all the players will be able to get time off work. Hopefully, Donners and Swampy will be available for the return game and, if this is the case, it should be quite a different game.

Jamie Reilley had a great game and Carpenter’s debut showed enormous promise but my Canvey ‘Man of the Match’ was Steve Ward. He was so reliable at the back, I suppose we now take him for granted. In the first half Wardy saved Canvey from being at least three nil down.

My notebook shows one momentous move when Steve (Ward) passed to Steve (Tilson) who knocked in on to Steve (Flain) who, in turn set it up for Steve (Carpenter). Where was Steve (Porter)?

Evesham have an unusual ground; a lumpy pitch with an apology of a barrier around it, a river on one side and a railway on the other. It was unusual for all the Canvey fans to be seated for the first half but, after all, the seats in the small stand were free. However, their clubroom was very pleasant and the officials made the visiting fans very welcome - Bank’s Smoothflow Bitter was delicious and only £1.70 per pint.

On a more serious note, there was a complaint from the Worcestershire Fox Hunt. Apparently some twit with a bugle kept calling the hounds in the wrong direction. Fred, you’ll have to learn a few more notes.

Bob Selfe has a theory that whenever Canvey are playing badly, he goes for a pee and that’s when the lads score. Thanks Bob, your being taken short in the 80^th minute probably saved the day today. Is that why you always re-appear from the Gents with wet trouser legs?

Although the journey home on the Supporters Coach was long and tiresome, special thanks to Simon Liddle for joining the fans and keeping them amused with funny stories and spiffing yarns. And thanks also for pointing out the full moon at the Reigate/M25 roundabout.