FA Trophy second qualifying round

Taunton Town 3, Aveley 3

TAUNTON Town face a tricky midweek replay after needing an 85th-minute equaliser from Ryan Brett to salvage a share of the spoils against Aveley in a six-goal FA Trophy thriller.

Aveley, who play in the Isthmian League North (one tier below Taunton on the pyramid), began brightly and broke the deadlock on 10 minutes when Alex Akrofi turned home a cross.

Lloyd Irish was then called into action, making a fine save to keep the deficit at one, and the Peacocks then levelled the scores as Jamie Price thumped a header past the goalkeeper after quarter of an hour.

Irish made another fine stop to prevent Aveley restoring their advantage and it was Town who scored next, Exeter City loanee Harry Kite slotting home at the back post just shy of the half-hour mark.

Matt Wright saw a shot superbly saved by the visiting goalkeeper as the Peacocks looked to extend their lead but Aveley were on level terms again by half-time courtesy of Jason Raad’s excellent free-kick.

The two sides exchanged half-chances in the early stages of the second half and it took until the 71st minute for the next goal, which went the way of the visitors.

Just moments after Wright had headed over at one end, George Sykes finished coolly at the other to put the Essex outfit in sight of a place in the third qualifying round.

Taunton applied pressure as they searched for a response, with a Neal shot saved before the same player had the ball in the net only to see his effort disallowed for a foul on the goalkeeper.

Town did find their leveller with just five minutes to play, Brett drilling home at the back post, and that brought an end to the scoring on a hectic afternoon.

The Peacocks now face an awkward trip to Essex for the replay, though they may feel relieved to at least have their place in the hat for the next round after a below-par display.

Taunton Town: Lloyd Irish, Jamie Price (Jack Rice 76), Lewis Hall, Ben Adelsbury, Nick Grimes, Shane White, Ollie Chamberlain (Jamie Short 56), Ryan Brett, Matt Wright, Harry Kite, Andrew Neal. Subs not used: Noah Coppin, Nathan Byrne, Callum Watts