OXFORD City face a replay tomorrow night after being held to a 1-1 draw at Bath City in the second qualifying round, writes MATTHEW BRUCE.

Mike Fondop headed the visitors in front just before half-time, but substitute Marvin Morgan forced the replay with a late equaliser.

Referee Marc Whaley was heavily involved — despite only featuring for just over an hour before sustaining an injury.

He was called into action after just a minute, awarding the hosts a free-kick on the edge of the area despite penalty appeals after Nick McCootie was tripped by Godfrey Poku.

And City were able to breathe another sigh of relief when further Bath appeals were turned down after when McCootie was muscled off the ball as he closed in on goal, having seized on a misplaced Freddie Grant header.

Bath were lucky to keep all 11 men on the pitch as Dan Bowman miraculously escaped punishment after appearing to strike Grant during a flare-up.

With tempers beginning to fray, it was City who kept their heads better and they took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Scott Davies crossed for Fondop to head in at the near post.

Fondop missed the chance to extend the lead after the break, shooting just wide of the right-hand post after Ofosu had twisted through a congested box.

The injury to the referee just after the hour upset City’s rhythm, following a ten-minute wait for a replacement official.

They had goalkeeper Jack Stevens to thank for keeping the hosts at bay with an excellent reaction save to tip Manny Monthe’s close-range header over the bar two minutes after the restart.

But they were finally pegged back when former Aldershot Town striker Morgan leapt to head home the equaliser.

That was in the 90th minute, but there were still 11 minutes of stoppage time to be played.

The home side could even have won it, but Morgan somehow fired over just before the final whistle.

The two sides will meet again at Marsh Lane tomorrow.

Oxford City: Stevens, Poku, Grant, Ashby, Henderson, Cundy, Davies, Fleet, Fondop, Ofosu (Isaac 56), Giles. Subs not used: Winters, Ngathe, MacAuley, Patterson, Hunte.

Attendance: 482.