HELLENIC League outfit Abingdon Town fought back from 2-0 down to snatch a deserved replay in their derby clash against Didcot Town at Culham Road on Saturday.
The match started scrappily, and it came as a surprise when Didcot took the lead with their first meaningful attack.
Danny Seaward created the opening for Phil John, whose effort was only parried by keeper Matt Hutton into the path of Joss Millar, who made no mistake.
Abingdon though, did not lie down and dominated the remainder of the half.
Lewis Gabbidon hit a post with a 25-yard effort, while Didcot keeper David Lyons denied both Lance Williams and Anaclet Odhiambo.
Rob Carr then headed a Corey Forbes effort off the line, before Abingdon went even closer when Lyons pulled of a scrambling save to deny Mark Janes, whose drive flew through a crowd of players towards the far corner.
After the break, John doubled Didcot’s lead just past the hour, but Abingdon quickly got back into the game.
It came virtue of a penalty when Simeon Howell was adjudged to have handled in the penalty area and Williams’s strike found the bottom corner.
With nine minutes left, Abingdon levelled when Odhiambo finished from a tight angle after Gabbidon’s shot had been beaten out by Lyons.
On the balance of play, Didcot probably didn’t deserve a second chance in the tie, but the teams must replay tomorrow night at the Loop Meadow Stadium for the right to play Oxford City in the first qualifying round.
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