FA Cup Preliminary Round

Merthyr Tydfil 1

Cinderford Town 1

Cinderford and Merthyr must replay on Tuesday night at The Causeway after this 1-1 draw.

The winners will play Eastleigh, away, in the next round of the competition.

Merthyr started this cup tie the better and created several good early chances.

Williams went close from a free-kick delivered by former Town player Ryan Dorrian, but it was Marcus Griffiths who put the Welsh side ahead on 16 minutes – pouncing on a loose ball after Ben John dropped a cross. John protested that he had been fouled, but to no avail.

Prosser beat John with a shot soon after, but Dale Peckham got back to clear off the line.

Cinderford clawed themselves back into the match with Danny Haines and Andy Lewis both missing good chances to equalise.

The leveller eventually came when Haines was crudely shoved in the box and Mike Whittington dispatched the penalty.

Both sides had chances to win the cup tie in the second period.

Prosser went closest for Merthyr, with Town's Dale Evans finding the roof of the net with a trademark free-kick.

Evans, returning from injury, came on as a second half sub for Mike Whittington, who was carried off after a collision with a Merthyr defender.

Cinderford Town: Ben John, Warren Archer (capt), Danny Haines, Dan Harrison, Dale Peckham, Nick McCootie, Nick Hancock, Andy Lewis, Mike Whittington, Lewis Sommers, Matt Smith. Subs used: Dale Evans, Dean Lee, Craig Tait. Not used: Matt Barnes, Greg Lewis, Ashley Malcolm, Brad Andrews.