Buildbase FA Trophy
Second round qualifying
Taunton Town 1, Beaconsfield Town 1

A LATE equaliser from Dan Brown pegged back Taunton Town at home to Beaconsfield Town in the FA Trophy, forcing the teams to resume hostilities in a replay on Monday night.

Dan Sullivan had given the Peacocks the lead in an encouraging first-half performance, but they could not kill the game off, and Beaconsfield pressure eventually brought its reward.

Taunton manager Leigh Robinson opted to retain Chris McGrath in defence, and Sullivan and Matt Wright were together up front again, with Ben Adelsbury and Omar Simpson among the substitutes.

The match was preceded by Remembrance Day commemorations, with veterans leading the players onto the pitch, the Last Post played and a minute's silence observed by the 476-strong crowd.

After a positive start by the hosts - Ben Palmer prominent on the left and Wright heading narrowly over - it was Beaconsfield who almost took the lead on 13 minutes.

Andre Costa cut inside from the right and unleashed a dipping shot which beat Lloyd Irish, but came away off the crossbar.

The visitors continued to have the better of the play for the next 15 minutes, with Irish having to dash out to clear after the Peacocks were caught short by a counter-attack, but the half turned on a sudden goal from Sullivan.

The striker had drifted out of the game as the home side resorted to long balls, but on 28 minutes the ball broke to him in the clear, the referee ignored Beaconsfield appeals for an infringement, and Sullivan finished confidently.

That was the shot in the arm Taunton needed, as they proceeded to play the rest of the half with confidence, and saw Palmer denied by a last-ditch tackle by Luke Neville, before Ollie Chamberlain was knocked over by Michael Peacock - but no penalty was given.

Beaconsfield started the second half well and continued to look very dangerous on the counter-attack - though at the other end both Sullivan and Pierce Mitchell went close with cross-shots from the right that flashed past the far post.

Matt Buse also headed over from a Mitchell throw-in, while the visitors were unable to take advantage of the Peacocks' tendency to punt their clearances long and gift possession back.

Inviting pressure was always going to have its risks, and although the away side did not create many chances, they only needed one.

Shortly after Irish was booked for handling the ball outside the box - with the free-kick fired straight into the wall - the keeper allowed substitute Brown's volley to go through him, after the Beaconsfield man was left all alone to run onto a ball over the top from Aaron Minhas.

The leveller came on 88 minutes, leaving Taunton little time to find a winner, and despite their hopeful balls forward and the eager running of Simpson (on for Sullivan) they were to have no joy.

The replay has been set for this Monday, November 13 (ko 7.45pm) - meaning that the scheduled league match at home to Wimborne Town on the Tuesday will be rescheduled.

Taunton Town: Lloyd Irish, Pierce Mitchell, Ben Palmer (Ben Adelsbury 76), Shane White, Chris McGrath, Brett Trowbridge, Ollie Chamberlain, Ryan Brett, Matt Wright (c), Dan Sullivan (Omar Simpson 70), Matt Buse.
Subs not used: Les Afful, Michael Meaker.
Attendance: 476