Given the ridiculous way fixture lists seem to be created, and our propensity for being knocked out of cup games this was the first game at Twerton in almost a month, and is the last game until Boxing Day.
City were welcoming Eastbourne Borough who as recently as 2010/11 were in the Conference National, but like us soon dropped back into the Conference South. For a team that were once in the national league they brought a very small amount of away fans, with myself seeing precisely zero fans, I assume there must have been a few, but I imagined they might have brought a coach load at least.
Since the last home game the stripes have taken Tom Nichols on loan from Exeter City, and the young forward was keeping Charlie Griffin out of the team, Jason Mellor continued in goal, and Kerry Morgan was still on the bench, much to the annoyance of some of the people around me.
This was the first game that had the real bite of winter to it, as the steam rose from cups of Bovril and teas all around and hands were covered in gloves, muffling any clapping.
Adam Connolly seemed to be regaining some of his verve from years gone by, and City started brightly enough, however, our poor defence struck once again. A long ball was misjudged by Preece, and Mellor raced out of his goal and was caught in no mans land allowing Kezie Ibe to lob the ball over Mellor into the unguarded net.
City battled back, and but didn't create many chances, and right on the stroke of half time a freekick was given away by Danny Ball, the resulting freekick was whipped in, and for the umpteenth time this season City conceded to a headed goal.
In the second half the stripes rallied, and gave the proverbial 110%, but were unable to make a difference until Morgan and Griffin came on for the ineffectual Canham and Low. Kerry Morgan showed again how much of a threat he is to a tiring full back, by doing the defender on a number of occasions. City reduced the arrears on 76 minutes, when a ball into the box eventually found its way to Danny Ball, who's strike took at least one, possibly two deflections before ending up in the net 1-2, and with 15 minutes left there was opportunity to secure a point or more.
The two substitutes linked up soon after, where an inviting cross from Morgan was met with a thundering header by Griffin, sadly the ball crashed off the crossbar and away. The fans started to really get behind the men in black and white, and City swarmed in desperate search for an equaliser, Mark Preece blazed over the bar, when he should have done better. Finally, agonisingly for Eastbourne City snatched a draw when Kerry Morgans freekick pinballed around the box, before Gethin Jones lashed the ball home, a defender got to the ball but it was clearly over the line, and in the last minute City had secured a dramatic draw.
Sadly, we have to wait till Boxing Day for the next home game, but absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that.
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