IT’S been an excruciatingly long wait, but Totton & Eling have finally banked their first point of the Sydenhams Premier campaign.

After drawing blanks in their first dozen games, the Millers made it ‘lucky 13’ with a 2-2 home draw against Bemerton Heath Harlequins.

Wayne Mew’s side has changed beyond all recognition since the start of the season with experience being added on a weekly basis.

Steve Marwood, Steve Jenkin and Danny Steer – all part of the furniture during Kev Dawtry’s time as manager – have returned to the fold and 35-year-old Brazilian midfielder Carlos Geteski has switched camps from Lymington Town.

Ex-Saint Jo Tessem, 42, partnered Steer in central defence on Saturday and the next player due into the Millers Park arrivals lounge is South African-born striker Stuart Brown, formerly of Salisbury City and Poole Town.

Mew explained: “Stuart knows a few of the old T&E lads and has been in contract with them. He hasn’t been playing for a while and is looking to get back into it.

“It was nice to get our first point and Stuart will give us some experience in the striker’s department.

“He’s not available for the League Cup game (at Ringwood) on Saturday, but hopefully he’ll give us something extra up top when we return to the league.

“We’ve got five really tough games coming up, with Blackfield & Langley twice in a week either side of Newport IoW. Then we’re at home to Winchester City and away to Petersfield. That’s fixtures for you!

“It’s going to be tough, but we’ll see what we can achieve.”

The Millers did it the hard way on Saturday, battling back from two down after Jack Slade had struck twice for the Harlequins.

Marwood set them on the road to recovery and, although the equaliser was attributed to Conor Thorne, Mew felt a Bemerton player got the last touch amid a goalmouth scramble.

“It was just nice to be competitive,” said the boss.

“We deserved a point.”

The draw leaves T&E seven points adrift of second-to-bottom Christchurch with two games in hand.

“Catching the team above us is the first target and it’s not as though we’re a million miles behind points-wise,” said Mew. “We’ve got some difficult games ahead, but perhaps we can start picking up points when we play some of the mid-table sides.”

T&E and Ringwood have a dress rehearsal for the League Cup tonight, meeting in the Russell Cotes Cup at Millers Park.