An action-packed second Qualifying Round of the FA Cup at Winterfield Road saw honours even between Paulton Rovers and Conference North side, Gloucester City, in a game the Tigers should have won with the amount of second-half pressure. However, Paulton Manager, Nick Bunyard, was bitterly disappointed that his side did not get the home win and now face a difficult away replay.
Both keepers were in early action, with Lewis Hogg testing home stopper, Kyle Phillips, and Paulton Skipper, Scott Brice, heading wide past Paul White. City should have scored on ten minutes, when centre back, Matt Williams' header was cleared off the line by Tom Seary.
A free kick by Billy Jones was tipped over by Phillips on fifteen minutes, then Rovers' Ben Lacey found Jon Davies with his final pass narrowly out of the reach of Josh Klein-Davies.
Paulton took the lead on nineteen minutes. Davies broke down the right and his shot was parried by White and Mike Bryant reacted first to tap the ball home. George Miller saw his shot held by Phillips and Rovers responded when Ash Williams sent a drive across goal. Then with a minute of the half left, winger, Chris Jones, hit the foot of the Paulton post and the rebound was blasted over the bar by the onrushing Joe Parker.
Gloucester looked a different side in the second half, with Hogg, Charlie Griffin and Joe Parker all seeing shots held by Phillips. Griffin had a header wide and Parker was off target, as City played in a period of intense pressure, with Brice and his men dealing with the constant barrage in the main.
Brice headed clear from substitute, Nathan Modest's cross and Phillips, again on band to tip a cross from Matt Groves away from a corner. Ben Lacey then coolly broke up another attack, beating Modest to the ball.
However, it was unsurprising to see the visitors level. From yet another corner on the right, with six minutes of full time left on the clock, Modest's cross was firmly headed home by Griffin to seal the equaliser. Paulton made a last-ditch effort, Sam Avery was on hand twice to clear goalbound shots from Ash Williams and Bryant. The replay took place on Tuesday, 30th September.
Team: Kyle Phillips, Ollie Knowles, Ben Lacey, Tom Seary, Scott Brice, Brandon Barnes (Tyson Pollard substitute, 90), Mike Bryant, Ash Williams, Josh Klein Davies, Jon Davies (Jordan Walker, 70), Elliott Gibbons. Substitutes: Keiran Baggs, Adam Flint, Callum Hinder.
Paulton are away on Saturday to Bedfordshire side, Biggleswade Town, kick-off at 3 p.m. The coach leaves the club at 9 a.m. sharp.