Braintree Town 1 Basingstoke Town 1

BASINGSTOKE Town will try to book a place in the third round of the FA Trophy for the first time in their history.

On Saturday, Basingstoke produced an excellent performance to force a replay after drawing 1-1 at Braintree.

Richard Newbery gave the visitors the lead after 56 minutes only for Tommy Noble to equalise with an amazing cross-cum-shot from the by-line.

Manager Ernie Howe will pick an unchanged line-up and believes his side can go one better this time.

He said: "I am a little disappointed in the result as Tim Sills had a great chance to wrap up the game soon after Richard Newbery scored.

"We now have to finish the job at our place. We know it is going to hard, but if we take our chances and turn in a solid defensive display I am sure we can do it."

After the fireworks in the league meeting at Cressing Road, the beginning of this tie was much more of a damp squib on a spongy surface.

Town's first chance was a Mark Lisk volley at Paul Catley, while prolific marksman Robbie Reinelt drilled straight at Scott Tarr from 18 yards in a cagey opening spell.

There was a lull as Basingstoke controlled matters in the midfield, but they were almost the architects of their own downfall when Toby Sumner made a complete mess of a cross-field pass.

Tommy Noble wasted no time in unleashing an excellent lob from 25 yards, and only an acrobatic save by Tarr prevented the home side claiming the lead.

The ensuing corner also provided danger as Braintree began to assert themselves with greater effect.

Andy Potter was given time and space to chest down, but could only manage to hook the ball over the bar from eight yards out.

Tarr came to his side's rescue again when Nicky Simpson got the better of Chris Honor on the corner of the six yard area, making a crucial block at the midfielder's feet.

The Camrose Blues did manage two shots in the closing stages of the half. Efan Elad gave Catley his only real test with a low shot from 20 yards which the Braintree 'keeper held well at the foot of his right-hand post, while Richard Newbery fired just wide from 22 yards.

After the break the visitors picked up where they left off and Newbery forced a low save out of the Braintree 'keeper from Fraser's cross at the start of the second half.

Elad went on another solo run and his cutback was put wide of the near post by the striker.

Newbery's luck was in, though, when he made a darting run to the near post and Davis' cross drew Catley, who was left in no man's land by Newbery, who glanced a header over the keeper on 56 minutes to put his side in front.

Tim Sills should have doubled the advantage as Elad picked him out with a square pass.

Catley blocked the first effort from point-blank range, and made a miraculous recovery to tip the header by the Basingstoke striker over the bar to keep his side in the game.

Those saves became all the more significant when a hopeful ball forward on 69 minutes seemingly left Girdler to shepherd the ball out of play. Noble didn't give up the chase, though, and having slid in to keep the ball in play, got up first and swung in a cross-cum-shot which sailed over Tarr and into the far corner.

The goal did fire Basingstoke into a brief response. Sills headed a Davis cross straight at Catley, but there was to be no goalmouth excitement in the closing stages, and the two sides now have to cross swords for the third time this season in a replay at the Camrose tomorrow night.

Basingstoke: Tarr, Honor, Fraser, Bristow, Elad, Lisk, Sumner, Girdler, Davis, Sills, Newbery, (sub Eaton 90 mins). Subs (not used) Wallace, Hemmings, Arthur, Vine.

Braintree: Catley, Girling, Davison, Cowan, Potter, Reinelt, Simpson, Parratt, Noble, Smith, Jones. Subs (not used): Gutzmore,Blakery, Paul Rippingale, Terry Howard, Cherry