After Evesham had taken the lead in the 16th minute and dominated most of the first half, Frome had a much better second half, equalised through Jon Davies on the hour and looked the more likely side to get the winner, but the tie will have to be replayed on Wednesday 2nd November at Frome.
With Frome struggling with injuries, George Miller still unwell, Corby Moore unavailable and Dan Cleverley still injured, Marcus Mapstone was moved into midfield to make up the numbers as Frome played their fourth away tie in the four knock out competitions that they are entered for, even though the odds against that happening are 16:1.
The match started in lively fashion with Kris Miller shooting just wide of the far post and Kyle Phillips saving with his feet in the 10th minute as Evesham’s Lewis Binns cut through on the left, and after Mitchell Page had just failed to get on the end of a cross, Frome’s injury problems mounted as Jake Jackson was forced to make way for Aiden Kirby due to injury.
Evesham opened the scoring in the 16th minute as centre forward Lance Smith went up and won a cross in the air with more than a suspicion of handball and the ball broke to Adam Mann who hammered the ball home.
Inspired by the goal, Evesham made all the running for the next quarter, but Frome defended with no real problems and, after good play from Darren Jefferies, Page went close with a chip over Kevin Sawyer that landed just the wrong side of the cross bar, and soon after he let fly with a shot straight at Sawyer as Frome came back into the game.
Connor Roberts picked up a yellow card in the 31st as he brought down Lance Smith, but Frome again went close in the 39th as a Davies cross was headed just the wrong side of the post by Mapstone, and two minutes later, Frome had a big shout for a penalty as Page was brought down in the box, but the referee decided otherwise.
Injury problems got worse at half time as Mapstone was replaced by Jordan Walker, who would only last seven minutes before a recurrence of his hamstring injury and would have to be replaced by Mike Bryant, himself just coming back from a long injury layoff, meaning that Frome had now been forced to use all their substitutes.
However, Frome kept looking for the equaliser and after a Jefferies shot had been fumbled by Sawyer, the ball was rolling over the line, until Sawyer managed to recover, turn and dive on the ball to prevent the goal.
The all important goal finally came in the 59th minute as Page did well on the left and rolled the ball to Kirby who took one touch to set up Davies who smashed home a great shot from just inside the box.
Frome were in the ascendency now and as Davies hit in a curling free kick from 25 yards, Palmer did well to get to it and palm it out and as Page went for the loose ball, he appeared to be taken down from behind, but again nothing was given.
Davies was now having a great game, and he almost scored again in the 69th as Palmer parried a shot only for it look like it would roll over the line until it was cleared by a full back, and another audacious lob from 25 yards just missed the far top corner five minute later.
In the 89th minute, Evesham’s Ashley Williams was shown a straight red for a two footed lunge on Clayton Green (which should make the home journey interesting as they travelled up from Wales together), but neither side could find the winner in the remaining few minutes of injury time, though Frome were grateful to Nathan Summers for a brave block to block a shot with his midriff which was going in.
Connor Roberts was awarded the H&B Tyres Man of the Match award for another good game at the heart of the Frome defence.
