Tuesday night and another match on my pre-season tour (as it's becoming) of non-league teams close to Gloucester.

This time, my travels took me northwards to a ground where I used to play (albeit for nine games in 2004), and little seems to have changed since. The club still looks tatty and unkempt, which is a shame because with a bit of love and attention it could be a club that could go places other than the West Midlands League. True, they did spend a few years at Step 4 recently, however the squad (some of whom are still playing for them now) were not up to standard and they have since plummeted on and off the field. Boardroom rows and disagreements saw former chairman Richard Bond walk away in 2010 and despite a succession of managers coming and going the club has been unable to stabalise and now faces its second season in the West Midlands Premier League.

Malvern have stopped paying players, and as such the quality of player and football this season is expected to be poor indeed in comparison with sides like AFC Wulfurians, Black Country Rangers and Bewdley Town who are paying players (albeit not a fortune, but enough to get players of Step 4/5 quality in through the doors).

Arriving at the club, I met up with an old contact, Danny Goodwin, and his friend Adrian Barrett. Both have been quite vocal in demanding change at the club, and both have offered ideas to the board who seem dis-interested in ideas which could help the club progress. There has even been an offer of paid signage to the ground by a potential sponsor turned down, and it looks like the club is staying apart from the community - rather than being a part of it. As proof, there were more Evesham fans in the ground (30 or so) than Malvern fans, despite it being a Step 6 v Step 4 game.

Over a can of cola and a hot dog (healthy hopper food, don't you know!) I took my seat in the recently renamed Brian Scott stand (named after their former General Manager, who passed away two years ago an who's widow Margaret still works for the club) and conversation turned towards how well (or not!) Malvern might do this season. Their manager has been boisterous about promotion, but a senior team player has been more cautious and has said that promotion might not be achievable until the club 'gets properly sorted.' The club are finding out that doing things, with no cloth to cut, is nigh but impossible - however, the 'closed minded mentality' of club members is doing little to help matters.

Anyway, club politics aside, the teams strode out onto the pitch at 19:40 and five minutes later the game was underway. Evesham bossed possession and it wasn't long until the first goal went in - a bad challenge by a Malvern defender on ex Worcester striker Luke Corbett was punished by a rasper of a free kick by Evesham player-coach Neil MacKenzie. The ball was aimed hard and low, and despite the Malvern 'keeper getting a hand to it he couldn't stop the ball from going in. The same 'keeper was caught out for Evesham's second, after failing to hold onto a cross which Roland Agbor smashed home with aplomb.

A quick counter attack on 30 mins led to Evesham's third goal, when the ball was hit behind the hesitant Malvern defence and Pavel Gierdi benefitted from poor marking by steering it home. A pile-driver of a shot from Lee Downing just before the break gave Evesham a comfortable 4-0 platform.

The general tone at half-time was 'typical Malvern, no guts and no desire' and the game was more or less over.

In the second half, Evesham hit two more goals - both scored by Agbor who teased and tormented the poor Malvern defence all night. Easily the man of the match, probably good enough to play at a higher level than Evesham. Malvern's goal was against the run of play, with Lewis Loader hitting a volley from distance. However, Evesham were always going to be the winners and almost scored seven when ex-Hereford youngster Marcus Palmer hit the post after being played through by a defence-splitting pass.

On this showing, Evesham will be one of the favourites for promotion from Step 4. On this showing, however, Malvern are going to really struggle.