TAUNTON Town and Merthyr must lock horns for the third time in ten days after drawing 1-1 in the FA Trophy yesterday, writes James Wright.

A week after winning at the Viridor Stadium in the league, the Martyrs made an early return visit to Somerset's county town for this Preliminary Round tie.

And they made a perky start, Kayne McLaggon's pile-driver being palmed out by home keeper Lloyd Irish with centre half Jarrad Wright seeing his follow-up cleared off the line.

Thereafter, the home side generally had the better of a lethargic first half. Shane Kingston, Ben Kirk and Steve Murray all had shots on goal, but the Welshmen came closest to scoring, captain Ryan Green glancing a header against the bar following a corner.

Attacking the fire station end, Merthyr were more on top in the second half. McLaggon finally broke the deadlock just after the hour mark, turning the defence inside out and ripping an unstoppable shot inside the near post. Taunton responded with spirit.

At the end of a tidy move down the right, Murray saw a shot blocked out to midfielder Aidan Chainey who put his follow-up attempt just over.

The equaliser arrived with nine minutes remaining when Murray got behind the Welsh defence on the left. The striker cut the ball back to Ben Kirk who stabbed it into the roof of the net to force a replay which will be staged at Penydarren Park on Tuesday night.

Taunton: Lloyd Irish, Jamie Price, Ben Carter, Owen Irish (captain), Ben Mammola, Ben Kirk, Aidan Chainey, Brett Trowbridge, Steve Murray, Shane Kingston, Josh Wadham (Craig Herrod 66). Unused subs: Tom Hopkins, Lewis Waldy.

Merthyr: Tom Bradley, Ryan Green (captain), Adam Davies, Gavin Williams, Jarrad Wright, Jamie Rewbury, Ryan Newman (Guillermo Bauza 73), Kris Leek, Kayne McLaggon, Corey Jenkins (Kerry Morgan 67), Ian Traylor. Unused subs: Dan Summerfield, Matthew Harris, Steve Williams.

Referee: Richard Morris (Bristol).

Assistants: Paul Cunningham (Bristol), Jozsef Madaras (Bristol).

Match Sponsor: Pete Cridland, Bob Squires, Keith Giles, Martin Williams, Mark Timbury, Dave Morgan.

Matchball Sponsor: Pete Mear & Rex Selwood.

Attendance: 273.