WARRINGTON Town were forced to come from behind to earn a 2-2 draw at Northern League side Shildon in FA Cup first round qualifying.
The Yellows were more than matched by their opponents from two divisions below, and it took a cute finish from substitute David Morgan – making his first appearance in almost a year – to take the tie to a replay, which will take place on Tuesday night at The GXO Stadium.
With no Bobby Bjork in the matchday squad, Paul Carden was forced to shuffle the pack as Reece Burke moved from right-back into central midfield and the attack-minded Callum Edwards was named in a more defensive role.
A rather uneventful opening quarter sprung to life when Zayn Sadiq was caught on the foot inside the penalty area as he challenged for a loose ball, with the referee immediately signalling a penalty.
Reece Daly stepped up to the spot, but home goalkeeper Andrew Jennison was equal to his effort and turned it round the post.
Still, Daly would have a chance to make amends less than 10 minutes later as the Yellows were awarded their second penalty before the half-hour.
A low shot from Daly cracked the left-hand post, and in his attempts to turn home the rebound, Ewan Bange was felled inside the box.
This time Daly made no mistake, sending the keeper the wrong way to put the Yellows ahead.
Town hunted a second to give themselves breathing space, Jack Goodwin and Burke both seeing crosses from promising positions come to nothing.
Then it was the turn of Zayn Sadiq to go close. Receiving the ball from Bange, he was forced a little wide before lifting a shot past the goalkeeper and just beyond the far post.
Four minutes before half-time, the home side found a response.
A dangerous corner from Joe Posthill – who posed a real threat for Shildon throughout – was sent into the area and powerfully met by Billy Greulich-Smith, who headed it past Mateusz Hewelt.
Greulich-Smith had a good chance to score his and Shildon’s second three minutes into the second half, receiving a knockdown inside the penalty area but firing over the bar.
However, the hosts’ next chance was taken well by their captain, Jon Weirs, who drilled a low shot past Hewelt.
Shildon could’ve taken the game out of the Yellows’ reach shortly after the hour when the unmarked Greulich-Smith met a right-wing cross but couldn’t hit the target with his header.
That near-miss gave the visitors the impetus to click into gear once again, Daly’s fizzing shot from the edge of the box sailing narrowly over.
Fresh legs provided a renewed spark heading into the final quarter, and it was one of those substitutes who drew the two teams level again.
Midfielder David Morgan latched onto a clipped pass forward by fellow substitute Tunde Bayode, before producing a deft finish over onrushing Shildon keeper Jennison to find the far corner.
Both sides pushed on in search of a winner, but clear-cut chances were few and far between.
Saturday’s result means both teams will be in the hat for Monday’s second qualifying round draw, which comes a day before they meet again at The GXO Stadium.
Shildon: Jennison, Harris, Scott, Vincent, Weirs, Myers-Smith, Posthill, Hughes, Urwin (Reay), Greulich-Smith, Blackford (Steel). Unused subs: Clarkson, Johnson, Mundell, Scaife, Smith.
Warrington Town: Hewelt, Edwards (Morgan), Doherty, Burke, Gumbs, Butler, Goodwin (Bayode), Vela (Elliott), Bange (McIntosh), Daly, Sadiq (Denton). Unused subs: Roper.
