Didcot Town’s impressive form in FA competitions continued with a fine 1-1 draw at Evo-Stik Southern League South League South & West Division 1 leaders Poole Town on Saturday.

Following their best run in the FA Cup, which ended in a 1-0 home defeat by Arlesey the previous Saturday, the Railwaymen again turned on an excellent display in this FA Trophy second qualifying round tie.

They will now get home advantage in tomorrow night’s replay at the npower Loop Meadow Stadium, when the two teams should have been engaged in a league match.

Playing against a strong wind in the first half, it was surprising that Didcot had the better of the opening period.

However, neither side had created a clear-cut opening before Didcot took a 37th-minute lead.

Morgan Williams played the ball in from the left, and an unmarked Pablo Haysham made no mistake with a smart finish into the bottom corner. Poole made changes at the break and one of these substitutes, Karim Lammalli, started to turn the tide in favour of the Dolphins.

On 57 minutes a powerful shot from Lammalli brought a good save from Didcot kepeer Mauro Balloli-Pereira.

But from the resulting corner the ball fell to Lammalli whose shot was deflected in by Poole’s Sam Wilson for the equaliser.

The hosts were now into their stride, and it need two fine saves from from Pereira to deny them the winner.

Elliott Osborne-Ricketts and James Clark had half-chances at the other end to sneak it for boss Gary Elkins’s side, but a draw was a fair result.

Didcot Tn: Balloli-Pereira, Elkins, Stanley, Osborne-Ricketts; Thomas, Henderson, Haysham; Bowles; Clark; Heapy, M Williams. Subs not used: Concannon, Browne, L Williams, Tappin.

Attendance: 257.