Match report written by Rob Hammett 

Weston and Chippenham Town need to do it all over again in Tuesday night’s replay following the 1-1 draw at Hardenhuish Park in the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round. 

Following the stalemate with Dorking Wanderers last weekend, The Seagulls made one change to the starting XI as Nick McCootie replaced Dylan Morgan, who returned to Yeovil Town following his successful loan spell.

The game started at a good pace as both sides moved the ball around the pitch well, although clear-cut chances were at a premium. The Seagulls got themselves into good attacking positions and always looked dangerous, but it was The Bluebirds who had the best opportunities of the first-half when Max Harris did fantastically well to deny both Luke Haines and Joe Andrews from close-range as Chippenham looked poised to score. 

The dangerous McCootie, playing against his former side, did well to get in behind the host’s backline, but from a fairly narrow angle his ferocious effort just cleared the crossbar. Then moments later, Luke Coulson’s 25-yard effort was well blocked by Bluebirds’ full-back, Freddie Grant.

HALF-TIME: Chippenham Town 0-0 Weston-super-Mare AFC 

Both sides started the second-half full of attacking intent, and it was Weston who took the lead after 51 minutes. Emlyn Lewis showed steely determination to recover the ball and play a great forward pass to Coulson. The former Bromley man, by now operating on the right-flank, sent in a gorgeous, pinpoint cross right onto the head of Reuben Reid around the penalty spot, and the former Plymouth Argyle striker barely had to move as he sent an emphatic header past Will Henry to give The Seagulls the advantage. 

Weston went agonisingly close moments later when Coulson’s inswinging corner dropped dangerously under the Chippenham bar, but the home defence scrambled clear from one of The Seagulls’ countless corners that they racked up after the interval. 

It had been a strong start to the second-half for Weston, but just after the hour mark they were pegged back as Chippenham got on level terms. A strike from around the left corner of the area from debutant Leone Gravata agonisingly beat Harris and found the back of the net.

With neither side particularly fancying a replay, the game continued to be an end-to-end encounter. Reid had two opportunities in quick succession to get The Seagulls back in front as his shot from 18 yards went inches over the bar, before his precise header from Billy Kirkman’s cross was too close to Henry.

The Chippenham goalkeeper was the busier of the two in the second-half, and he made his best save as James Dodd’s curling effort was destined for the top corner before the ball was somehow tipped over.

Weston’s final effort of note as they pushed for the winner came with the very last action of the game. Lewis was in unfamiliar territory on the left touchline, and the Welshman did well to skip around a Bluebirds defender before sending in a teasing cross which was met by the head of Jordan Bastin, who did well to get his effort on target, but it was claimed by Henry. 

Prior to Tuesday’s replay at the Optima Stadium, both clubs now await the draw for the Fourth Qualifying Round, which takes place at 3pm on Monday and will be broadcast live on TalkSport. 

FULL-TIME: Chippenham Town 1-1 Weston-super-Mare AFC (Gravata 63’; Reid 51’)

Weston: Harris, Chamberlain, Kirkman, Pope, E.Lewis, Kadji (Avery HT), Jagger Cane, Dodd, McCootie (Bastin 70’), Reid (Bak 80’), Coulson.

Unused subs: Absalom, Thomas, Kempster, Rose. 

Attendance: 677

Man of the Match: Reuben Reid. A great all-round performance from the experienced striker. A fantastic finish for the goal and at the heart of Weston’s best attacks.