Taunton TOWN emerged winners of a seven-goal thriller at Fairfax Park last night in the Red Insure First Round, writes Rowland Lyons.

James Blake and Darren Rice had given the visitors a seemingly comfortable lead at Bridgwater Town, before goals either side of the break from Bridgwater's Aaron Cornwall and Graham Mercieca levelled in between a red card for the Robins' Mat Pitcher.

Late Taunton sub, Luke Redrup, then appeared to have put The Peacocks through to the next round, but again the home side hit back when Ollie Barnes equalised with three minutes left, only for Tom Ellis to win the tie.

Keen to avenge an early-season hammering, Bridgwater found themselves on the back foot as early as 18 minutes when Ross McNab's chip found Blake, who headed over the hesitant Luke Buckingham.

Having got a foothold on the game, Taunton continued to exert pressure and Rice doubled their lead on 32 minutes with a superb dipping drive that sailed over Buckingham and just under the bar.

The Peacocks almost put this tie beyond doubt two minutes later when Blake hit the outside of a flat-footed Buckingham's post and that miss would later prove costly.

The Robins then got back in the game five minutes from the break when an innocuous-looking Phil Veal challenge on Andy Robertson saw referee Dave Ricketts point immediately to the spot.

Aaron Cornwall made no mistake with a cool finish, sending stand-in keeper, Craig Veal, the wrong way.

Cornwall and Taunton's Jon Vance then received yellow cards from a scuffle after the goal and the bad feeling continued when Pitcher was red-carded on 44 minutes for a cynical foul on Taunton's playmaker, Rodney Marsh.

Despite being down to ten men, Bridgwater overturned the two-goal deficit only four minutes into the second-half with a fine leveller from Mercieca, who found the net with a fine right-foot drive that beat Veal at his near post.

Taunton then dominated for long periods and finally made their numerical superiority count ten minutes from time when sub. Redrup - with his first touch - took advantage of defensive indecision and crashed the loose ball high into the home net.

But, the hosts refused to lie down and Barnes equalised on 87 minutes with another fine long-range effort that flew past the unsighted Craig Veal.

With the game heading for extra-time, Ellis broke the home side's hearts with a close-range finish from Luke Cole's stoppage time flag-kick.

Taunton line-up: Craig Veal; Luke Cole, Tom Ellis, Tim Legg, Phil Veal; Jon Vance (sub Tom Hopkins 71 mins), Simon Ingram, Rodney Marsh, Darren Rice (captain); James Blake (Luke Redrup 71), Ross McNab. Subs (not used): Raith Plant, Jamie Short, Chris Astley (gk).

Attendance: 179.