AFC Portchester will be in the hat for the FA Cup’s Second Qualifying Round draw on Monday lunchtime – but they’ll need to come through a replay to confirm their place first.
The Royals recorded an excellent 1-1 draw at Gloucester City on Saturday – meaning the two teams will now meet again in a replay at The OnSite Group Stadium this Tuesday evening (kick-off 7.45pm).
Portchester put in a battling and spirited performance against their Step 3 hosts – Gloucester play in the Southern League’s Premier South Division – and fought back from going a goal down to send the tie to a replay.
Both teams deserve credit for the good standard of football produced in Saturday’s encounter as driving rain and a stiff breeze swept across The TigerTurf Stadium throughout the 90 minutes.
The home side had most of the opportunities to score in a first half which lacked many chances to score.
On three minutes Sion Spence put his free kick from the left edge of the box over the crossbar and 12 minutes later he was sent clear of the Portchester defence but keeper Steven Mowthorpe got down quickly to his right to keep out the shot on goal.
The visitors had their only half chance of the first half on 37 minutes when James Cowan’s free kick from the left was knocked down by Archie Willcox to Calvin Davies but the Royals’ skipper screwed his shot well wide.
Four minutes later Elis Watts picked up a long ball forward in the left hand side of the penalty area but his attempted chipped shot went over the target.
The home side rattled the woodwork three minutes into the second half when Ed Williams set up the chance for Kieran Phillips to shoot but his effort came back off the post.
Some last ditch defending by Portchester kept the scores level as the home side looked to finish off a couple of good moves forward from close range but Gloucester finally broke the deadlock when they won a free kick just outside the box on 62 minutes.
Harry Pinchard curled his free kick from 20 yards out past the defensive wall and straight into the top corner of the net, leaving Mowthorpe rooted to the spot.
The visitors didn’t let the game get away from them and continued to work hard as the match went into the final quarter and they started to create some dangerous-looking chances.
On 71 minutes keeper Jared Thompson had to dive to his left to keep out Conor Bailey’s shot from 25 yards but three minutes later at the other end Spence cut inside and unleashed a low shot which Mowthorpe had to push around the post for a corner.
Lee Wort almost got his fifth FA Cup goal in the current campaign on 76 minutes when Charlie Williamson’s long ball dropped in behind the home defence. Wort got to the ball first around ten yards out but it wouldn’t drop down quickly enough for him and he blasted his shot over the target.
However, the Royals weren’t to be denied and they got their equaliser with nine minutes remaining. Williamson played the ball inside from the right towards Connor Duffin, who initially saw it run away from himself but he got to it first and back heeled it straight into the path of Marley Ridge. The midfielder took the ball to just inside the penalty area before firing his low shot past Thompson and into the net.
Both sides had chances to win the tie in the closing stages. With a minute to go a home player cut into the box from the right wing and went past three visiting players before unleashing a shot which Mowthorpe had to beat away at his near post.
The last chance of the game went to Portchester after five minutes of injury time had been played when they won a free kick just outside the box.
Davies’ free kick beat the defensive wall but Thompson got down to his left to push the ball away from goal and the full time whistle was blown straight after this.
