OXFORD City came within a minute of claiming the scalp of Cheltenham Town, but a stoppage-time equaliser meant they had to settle for a 2-2 draw.

The hosts twice led against a youthful side in the second round of the FA Trophy, thanks to goals from substitute Bradley Bubb and Marlon Jackson.

But the Vanarama National League leaders responded through Niall Rowe and Bobbie Dale in the final moments.

While the bumper crowd of 926 at Marsh Lane had to wait until late in the game for a flurry of goals, there was no shortage of goalmouth action in the first half.

City defender Alejandro-Adrian Santiago had a header cleared off the line early on, followed moments later by Carlos Piffaré shooting just over the bar.

Poor finishing let the visitors down when they hit City on the break, Lewis Thompson dragging his effort horribly wide when clean through.

Striker Conor McDonagh, handed a rare start in place of top-scorer Bubb, was causing the away defence plenty of problems.

And he could have broken the deadlock when a Piffaré cross was flicked across the face of goal to the back post, but McDonagh was unable to turn the ball in from a tight angle.

Santiago was again denied as a corner caused mayhem in the Cheltenham box, with referee Stephen Ross waving away claims the ball had crossed the line after being hacked away from the goalmouth during a chaotic scramble.

The introductions of Bubb and Kynan Isaac around the hour mark proved instrumental in the home side finally making the breakthrough.

Isaac burst up the left wing and crossed for Bubb to tap home with his first touch.

City’s passage into the third round appeared a mere formality as they comfortably held the visitors at arm’s length, but a defensive lapse in the 84th minute sparked a cascade of goals.

Rowe found himself unmarked at the back post from a Cheltenham corner, lashing into the roof of the net to level the tie.

City responded excellently and were back in front just two minutes later as Jackson, who spent a brief loan spell at Cheltenham in 2011, slotted home at the second attempt after Bubb had seen his first effort blocked.

But there was a final sting in the tail as the match entered its third minute of stoppage time.

Jose Lapoujade misjudged his attempted interception, allowing substitute Karnell Chambers space to cross for Dale to bundle home the equaliser and set up a replay at Whaddon Road on Wednesday night.

Oxford City: Walker, Coulson, Lapoujade, Santiago, King, Arzamendi (Bubb 62), Jackson, Pond, McDonagh (Benjamin 80), Lafuente, Pifarré (Isaac 56). Subs not used: Fleet, Henderson.

Attendance: 926.