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LATE GOAL DENIES BUCKS

AFC Telford United 2-2 Southport

An equaliser two minutes from time denied AFC Telford United a famous win in this FA Carlsberg Trophy Quarter-Final at the New Buck's Head, writes Steve Humbles. see more pictures

The Bucks made a nightmare start as Gavin Cowan challenged Kevin Lee in an attempt to meet Matty McGinn's free-kick on 7 minutes, and the ball deflected into the corner of Ryan Young's net. Young made a smart block to deny Steve Daly two minutes later but on 11 minutes Telford were back on level terms thanks to a superbly-worked goal; Lee Vaughan latching onto a quickly-taken throw-in and crossing for Jon Adams to sweep the ball past Tony McMillan.

Young pushed McGinn's long-range free-kick round the post for a corner on 18 minutes and on 29 McGinn again tried his luck from distance with a free-kick after Vaughan was adjudged to have handled, but the Southport man's strike flew over. Telford were then awarded a penalty as Terry Fearns - attempting to meet Liam Blakeman's pass - was hauled down by Lee. Danny Carey-Bertram's spot-kick was parried by McMillan but the striker converted the rebound to make it 2-1 to the Bucks on 33 minutes. Telford nearly extended that lead in first-half stoppage-time as Carl Rodgers met Liam Blakeman's corner at the back-post, but McMillan pushed Rodgers' fierce drive out for another flag-kick.

In the second-half, Young preserved the Bucks' lead by diving to his right to deny Kevin Leadbetter's long-range strike on 54 minutes and Lee's overhead-kick on 58 comfortably cleared the crossbar after Young had failed to gather a corner. Telford looked likely to hold onto the lead though until a cruel late twist saw Southport draw level on 88 minutes. The referee awarded a controversial free-kick against Steve Jagielka and, in scenes uncannily reminiscent of Southend's late leveller at the New Buck's Head in November, Kevin Leadbetter's shot took a deflection off Michael Powell and squirmed past Young into the corner of the net to break Telford hearts. Both sides will now replay at Haig Avenue on Tuesday, an outcome which will further compound the fixture congestion already facing both clubs.

AFC Telford United: 1. Ryan Young, 2. Lee Vaughan, 3. James Meredith, 4. Gavin Cowan, 5. Stuart Whitehead (c), 6. Liam Blakeman, 7. Jon Adams, 8. Jamie Vermiglio, 9. Terry Fearns, 10. Danny Carey-Bertram, 11. Carl Rodgers. SUBS: 12. Indy Khela (for Carey-Bertram 71), 14. Steve Jagielka (for Vermiglio 71), 15. Jimmy Turner (for Blakeman 87), 16. Simon Forsdick, 17. Andy Brown

Referee: Mr P. Quinn

Attendance: 2059 (including 207 away supporters in the Frank Nagington Stand)

Pictured: above - Jon Adams celebrates his goal for United and below its a last gasp equaliser for Southport