Definitely a game of two halves.
On a day that makes most people think the game will be off and groundsmen cry, the 86 spectators who did turn up witnessed a good game of football overall despite the ever increasing rain fall and slippery conditions.
The club and our volunteer ground staff deserve high praise for the work that has been put in over the last three or four years which produced a good service, didn't have a puddle on it and drew praise from the match officials and players after the game for the way it stood up to some heavy rain.
Whether our main groundsman, who was away in Aberdeen at the weekend, was crying or not on Saturday about his pitch I cannot say but when he gets to see it I'm sure he'll be surprised and pleased at what it looks like.
As for the game itself, once it started it seemed may be that our players were admiring the pitch a bit too much and not concentrating enough on the matters in hand, although that's not to take anything away from our visitors who started faster than the Japanese Bullet Train.
Right from the kick off their slick one or two touch passing, movement and player awareness meant that they had the greater possession and better chances and quite frankly, our players were left chasing shadows and the ball for long periods.
Corinthian took advantage of the domination as soon as the 3rd minute, Bath heading in powerfully from some six yards out from a corner and what was disappointing from a Crows perspective was that it seemed he was unchallenged at the time.
Whilst the Crows were still trying to rub the sleep out of their eyes, 1-0 became 2-0 after 6 minutes, Croucher latching on to a through ball which split the defence and he was able to run on, unchallenged, to slip the ball past a stranded Hampson.
The Crows gradually got back in to the match, albeit that they at least stemmed the green and white tide that was flowing towards their goal and started to get better possession in the right areas and thus looked more threatening going forward.
Tear and Hollick received yellow cards in quick succession, Tear for a late tackle which probably owed more to the conditions than any intent to harm a fellow player. Hollick's was probably harsh as the referee, who had a very good game throughout, decided he deliberately handled the ball on the edge of the Crows area when Corinthian looked to be in a good position.
Whether at 2-0 up Corinthian decided to sit back a bit and hold on to what they had or the Crows started to get their act together, the match became a bit of a midfield battle and the Crows started to get on top.
There was no doubt that the Crows needed to score the next goal and on 43 minutes it was 2-1, debutant Antonio Gonnella setting Funnell away with a defence splitting pass and the winger took the chance with great skill, passing the ball into the net past Corinthian 'keeper, McGuire.
There's no doubt that the goal made the away side a bit more nervous at the start of the second half whilst it buoyed the home side and it was no surprise that the home side started the better, their passing and movement far better than what it had been and the ball spent more time in the Corinthian half than the Crows half.
In an effort to stem the tide, the away side made a couple of early substitutions and it was the 74th minute before Funnell, who had run himself ragged, had to be replaced by Hinkson and 3 minutes later, Gonnella left the field to be replaced by Taylor.
Even though the Crows were on top, clear-cut chances were few and far between and as time was running out, Steadman was replaced by Everest in the 81st minute, Everest didn't take his usual position at centre half but as a centre forward which meant the Corinthian centre halves had a more physical battle on their hands.
Only 2 minutes later it was 2-2, Ridley scoring a goal of individual brilliance, picking the ball up on the left of the Corinthian penalty box, beating players at will as he dribbled across the area to the right side of their box then beating the defender and firing goal wards from some twelve yards out.
A Corinthian defender did try to stop the ball going in but could only help it go into the net, much to the jubilation of the home supporters and the Crow players.
In the end a draw was a fair result with the Crows probably getting more satisfaction out of the result than the away side, especially when you take into account the number of forwards missing for the home side, Carrington, Biddlecombe and Treleaven all not available, a debutant midfielder in Gonnella and Fuller playing despite not yet 100% match fit.
With no game this Saturday due to an FA Vase fixture for our expected host, it will at least give us more time to get everybody back fit and healthy, although Hampson will have to miss three games for his two recent dismissals.