TAUNTON Town boss Rob Dray said his team showed 'big hearts' to twice come from behind and force an FA Cup replay with Billericay Town.

The Peacocks drew 2-2 in Essex against the big-spending National League South leaders on Saturday, as Andrew Neal and Matt Buse struck for the visitors.

READ MORE: Peacocks in the hat for FA Cup first round after Billericay draw

Dray - appointed as Taunton's new 'head of football' this week, having been interim manager - said: "We'll always make chances with this team, as we've got a lot of pace in the last third.

"Rocky [Neal], Sully [Dan Sullivan], Busey and Chambo [Ollie Chamberlain] can all get you a goal.

"But to come from behind twice, away from home against a team like this, that just shows enormous minerals and big hearts.

"They don't stop working - it's just fantastic."

Things could have turned out even better for Taunton, but Matt Wright's penalty struck the crossbar, before Neal was sent off with 15 minutes left to play.

Dray commented: "The penalty's gone, these kind of things happen in football.

"I think we still did enough to win the game in the second half; they were brilliant and it's been a great day."

On the red card, he added: "It's a block. All day the referee was soft, for both teams - me and Dean Brennan [Billericay's manager] were talking about it all game.

"It's very soft and certainly not a red card. We'll definitely appeal that one."

The result means that Taunton welcome Billericay to the Viridor Stadium on Wednesday evening (ko 7.45pm), with £25,000 and a place in the first round proper - the draw for that being made tomorrow night from 7pm - up for grabs. 

Dray said: "It'll be another great night under the lights in the FA Cup at the Viridor Stadium - you can't ask for better than that.

"If someone had offered me that at the start I'd have taken it.

"If someone had offered me that with 25 minutes to go, I thought we probably should have won! 

"But we'll take that all day long against a team of this quality.

"We've had a good look at [Billericay] now; it's fine getting reports and speaking to people, but we've had a good look up close and personal.

"There's absolutely no reason why we can't [beat them]."