Evesham United 2-2 Nuneaton Town
Mark Owen 13, Paul Spacey 23,
Mark Hands 35 Rob Foster 27
The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON
Second Round Qualifying
Sunday 28 September 2008
St George's Lane, Evesham United FC
Winning clubs will receive £4,500 from The FA
Two goals in the space of four minutes denied Evesham United a place in FA Cup folklore after an evenly contested 2-2 draw against Nuneaton Town at St George's Lane on Sunday afternoon.
The Worcestershire club, who have yet to qualify for the First Round Proper of the competition in their 63-year history, went one up on just 13 minutes through leading goalscorer Mark Owen.
Midfielder Mark Hands nutmegged his marker before arcing a cross into the box for Owen, who notched 33 goals for the club last season, to guide the ball into the bottom corner.
Nuneaton's status as FA Cup giant-killers, which has seen the Warwickshire club reach the Third Round Proper three times, having knocked out Stoke City in 2001 and Swansea City in 1993 - as well as forcing a valiant 1-1 draw against Middlesborough in 2006 - came to the fore on 23 minutes.
Paul Spacey was tripped just outside the box and picked himself up to clip the resulting free kick over the wall to bring the sides level.
The hosts were still reeling when Nuneaton pounced again four minutes later.
This time Spacey's inventiveness down the right flank won his side a corner, from which centre-forward Rob Foster flicked on a near post header that caught goalkeeper Dave Adey in no man's land and nestled in the far corner.
Being a goal down seemed to energise Evesham, with the home side's midfield quartet beginning to stamp their authority on the game.
Their added vigour and determination rubbed off on their team mates ten minutes before the break when Danny Lennon's floated a diagonal cross into the box which bamboozled Nuneaton's defence.
Mark Hands' late run saw him latch on to the cross and he squeezed the ball in from close range.
Neither side looked likely to score a third in the second half but it was end-to-end stuff.
Spacey's half volley from 18 yards shaved the woodwork on 68 minutes and Owen might have grabbed a winner on the stroke of full time had Nuneaton goalkeeper Darren Acton not clawed his point blank header off the line with less than a minute left.
Evesham club secretary Roger Westmacott heaped praise on both sides on the final whistle.
He said: "To be fair Nuneaton had the better of it first half and we gave it a good go in the second half.
"Now we've got to do it all over again at their place, which won't be easy. They're a good side with an excellent record in this competition so we'll have to be at out our best to get something out of the game."
Nuneaton manager Graham Wilson was similarly philosophical in his assessment of his side's performance.
He said: "Obviously we're pleased with the draw, but not with the sloppy defending that led to the first goal.
"In the replay we'll try to put that right because The FA Cup means a lot to everyone at this club. Our record in the competition speaks for itself so we'll be going all out for the win."
The replay will take place at Liberty Way on 30 September.
In the day's other tie Godalming Town claimed a fine 2-0 victory at Erith and Belvedere FC.