FA Cup - fourth round qualifying
Billericay Town 2, Taunton Town 2

TAUNTON Town twice fought back from a goal down to hold Billericay Town on Saturday, and earn themselves a place in the draw for the FA Cup first round proper.

Goals from Andrew Neal and Matt Buse cancelled out Moses Emmanuel's two efforts for the hosts in the first half of the fourth round qualifying tie at the AGP Arena.

Indeed, the Peacocks might even have won it, but Matt Wright's penalty struck the bar, before Neal was shown red with 15 minutes left.

Taunton came into the match as underdogs, with big-spending Billericay top of National League South, and the visitors being without suspended pair Ryan Brett and Pierce Mitchell.

Cheered on by a boisterous travelling support, the Peacocks weathered the early storm from the home side - Ross Lafayette nodding wide from their most presentable chance.

But Billericay continued to have most of the play, and took the lead on 17 minutes - Emmanuel finding space behind the Taunton defence, who seemed to be looking for an offside flag which never came, and the striker slotted past Lloyd Irish.

But crucially the visitors were only behind for four minutes; Irish threw the ball out to Shane White, who bolted down the right and picked out Neal, the forward taking a fine first touch and fizzing his shot across the keeper and into the far corner.

Both goalkeepers were then called into action, Irish parrying a stinging effort from Sam Deering, and Alan Julian's legs blocking Wright's shot from a tight angle.

It was 2-1 to the hosts in the 40th minute, Emmanuel playing a slick one-two with Lafayette and dinking the finish over Irish.

But again it only took four minutes for the Peacocks to reply, as Ben Adelsbury showed some nifty skill down the right bye-line before laying the ball back for Buse to knock in.

That made it 2-2 at half time, and Billericay manager Dean Brennan introduced ex-Tottenham star Jamie O'Hara soon after the break.

That appeared to have the desired effect, as the hosts' tempo went up and the pressure increased on the away side's defence.

But then the visitors were awarded a penalty on 65 minutes after Wright went to ground - the skipper took it himself but his spot-kick clattered against the crossbar.

That was part of a fine Taunton spell, ended in the 75th minute, when Neal was shown a straight red for a forceful challenge on Dean Inman - the away fans behind the goal adamant that the goalscorer had won the ball.

From that point Billericay laid siege to the Peacocks goal, and both Joe Kizzi and Lafayette headed decent chances wide.

Emmanuel wasted an opportunity to win it, and claim a hat-trick, blazing over from Jake Howells' cut-back in stoppage time - and the visitors held on.

The result means a replay at Taunton's Viridor Stadium on Wednesday night - the winning side securing £25,000 in prize money and a spot in the first round proper.

Before that, on Monday evening, the draw is made live on the BBC - with Bristol Rovers, Exeter City, Plymouth Argyle, Sunderland and Yeovil Town among the teams entering at this stage of the competition.

Taunton Town: Lloyd Irish, Shane White, Pierce Mitchell, Ben Adelsbury, Keith Emmerson, Josh Nelmes, Brett Trowbridge (Dan Sullivan 61), Matt Buse, Ollie Chamberlain, Matt Wright (c), Andrew Neal.
Unused substitutes: Craig Veal, Douglas Camilo, Harry Gardner, Matt Villis.
Attendance: 976