AFC Telford 1 Chester 1 - Report and pictures
AFC Telford United overcame major injury problems to earn an FA Trophy first round replay against Chester.
Manager Liam Watson lost defenders Andy Parry (hernia), and Steve Akrigg (knee) to injuries in midweek, forcing him to play midfielder Mike Grogan at centre-half today.
And both Kristian Platt (hamstring) and Rod McDonald (knee) limped out of the game long before the final whistle.
But Telford recovered from a poor start to claim a 1-1 draw thanks to Jordan Deacey's first competitive Telford goal.
Chester's Sean McConville went agonisingly close to a seventh minute opener when his superb curling effort from the edge of the box struck the cross bar.
But Kingsley James was far less wasteful when handed an 11 minute penalty following Grogan's foul on Craig Mahon inside the box.
The Bucks' poor start continued as they then lost Platt to injury just seven minutes later, with Charlie Barnett replacing him.
At the other end Josh Hancock and Grogan drew decent saves from Chester goalkeeper Jon Worsnop.
But McConville should have made it 2-0 when he got goalside for Grogan only to drill just wide of the far post from a one-on-one position 20 minutes in.
And the Bucks punished his wastefulness when they equalised from Deacey's smooth finish from a Hancock pass 19 minutes before half time.
Chester could have gone back in front before half time but Rhys Oates drilled just over from the edge of the box.
But Deacey was not far away with a good deflected effort at the other end shortly before the interval.
Grogan and Rod McDonald both had efforts cleared from almost on the goal line eight minutes after the restart.
But McDonald emerged from the goalmouth scramble injured and had to be replaced by striker Sam Smith as part of a reshuffle which saw Andy Todd drop to centre half.
Telford coped well with the changes and Farrell was not far away from a goal with a strong header wide just after the hour mark.
John Rooney went even closer for Chester though when he flashed a curling effort just wide of the mark soon afterwards.
Hancock and Kyle Brownhill could have stolen the win late on, the former nodding at Worsnop from close range and the latter seeing his stoppage time drive turned round the post.
But it will need a replay to split these two and Telford will travel to Chester on December 23 for the decider.
