Fleetwood Town 1-1 Hereford FC
- Published
FA Cup: Fleetwood Town 1-1 Hereford FC highlights
Seventh-tier Hereford FC held League One side Fleetwood Town at Highbury to earn an FA Cup second-round replay.
Devante Cole, son of former FA Cup winner Andy Cole, levelled for the Cod Army six minutes after Calvin Dinsley's 23rd-minute strike for the Bulls.
But it was a strong and spirited performance by Pete Beadle's Bulls on a frustrating afternoon for Fleetwood boss Uwe Rosler and his men.
It was hard to tell that are 89 places between Fleetwood and Southern League Premier Division phoenix club Hereford, who are in only their third season back in existence.
Hereford scorer Calvin Dinsley had the Bulls fans in dreamland with his first-half curler at Highbury
Dinsley, who had only got the nod to start half-an-hour before kick-off following a late injury to Rob Purdie, sent the 977 travelling Bulls fans into raptures when he curled past goalkeeper Chris Neal.
But, after Ash Hunter, Wes Burns and Kyle Dempsey had all wasted good chances for the hosts and Garyn Preen's deflected effort had dropped onto the top of the net, fortune shone for Fleetwood on 29 minutes.
Lewie Coyle's cross from the right caught Hereford - and Cole - off guard, but it bounced in off the striker's chest past keeper Martin Horsell.
The luck was with the hosts once again just before the break when Ash Eastham twice cleared John Mills' close-range efforts off the line after Billy Murphy's free-kick had caused chaos in the box.
Fleetwood forward Hunter rattled a post with a late effort but Hereford got their just rewards to take it to a replay on Tuesday, 12 December - and into Monday evening's third-round draw.
Hereford FC manager Peter Beadle told BBC Hereford & Worcester:
"It's been a big day, it's been a big build-up but I thought we should fantastic character, real desire.
"As we've said all along, with the players we have here, when they put the shirt on they wear it properly and I think they did that today.
"I think everyone can see we deserve to be in that third round draw."