Buildbase FA Trophy
First round qualifying
Wimborne Town 2, Taunton Town 2

TAUNTON Town fought back from two goals down to keep themselves alive in the FA Trophy, as Andrew Neal and Harry Kite scored to force a replay against Southern League rivals Wimborne Town.

Sam Bayston had put the hosts 2-0 up in blustery conditions at Cuthbury, only for the Peacocks to turn it around and ensure that the sides will meet again this Tuesday evening for a place in the next round.

The wind and rain were behind Taunton in the first half, although it was the hosts who threatened first, with Tony Lee firing narrowly over the crossbar.

In what was an end-to-end encounter, the best chances fell to the visitors, with Matt Wright hitting the post from Neal’s cutback, and Dan Sullivan seeing a shot tipped over by Wimborne’s on-loan AFC Bournemouth goalkeeper Cameron Plain.

Plain also had to be alert to keep out a well-struck Ben Adelsbury effort from 30 yards, and he then denied Wright after the striker had been put through one-on-one.

But after one warning shot - Luke Burbidge losing his footing while attempting to round Taunton keeper Lloyd Irish - it was the hosts who went ahead on the stroke of half-time, as Bayston scored on the rebound after Irish’s initial save.

Bayston doubled the Magpies’ lead 10 minutes into the second half, after running on to Burbidge’s through ball, and the visitors looked down and out - two goals in arrears, and the elements against them.

Lee went close again, shooting just wide, and Irish then made a point-blank stop to keep his side’s hopes alive.

The home team were made to pay for not killing the game off, as from that Irish save the Peacocks counter-attacked and Wright was pulled down inside the box by James Stokoe.

Neal gratefully received the gift, converting the 75th-minute penalty to put Taunton back in the game.

Five minutes later the match was level, as Wright centred the ball and substitute Kite was there to slot it home.

Both sides went in search of a winner, and Wimborne nearly got it, only for Irish to pull off a superb save at full stretch in the middle of a goalmouth scramble.

Taunton Town: Lloyd Irish, Jamie Short (Harry Kite 51), Shane White, Ben Adelsbury, Nick Grimes, Jamie Price, Ollie Chamberlain, Ryan Brett, Matt Wright (c), Dan Sullivan, Andrew Neal. Subs not used: Lewis Hall, Jack Rice-Lethaby, Ed Palmer. Attendance: 232

Taunton’s fine comeback means a replay back in Somerset; the fixture will take place this Tuesday, October 29 (ko 7.45pm) at the Cygnet Health Care Stadium.