Ebbsfleet United 1 Warrington Town 1

YELLOWS are still in the hat for the FA Trophy quarter-final draw, but only an injury-time leveller denied them a momentous win at Ebbsfleet United.

Gerard Kinsella’s late goal had put Town into a deserved lead, but Sean Shields levelled the game with time running out for the National League side to spare them from embarassment.

The teams will now replay at Cantilever Park on Tuesday, with a place in the last eight at stake.

Town’s preparations were disrupted late on when goalkeeper Tony McMillan was injured in the warm-up, with Ben Ascroft drafted in to replace him.

Despite this, Yellows made an assured start and troubled their hosts with their high pressing game, with Will Hayhurst curling a free-kick just over.

However, the hosts slowly got a foothold in proceedings and a mistake from the young replacement keeper almost gave them the lead.

Ascroft’s scuffed kick was seized upon by Myles Weston, whose cross found Luke Coulson unmarked in the area but he could only head over the bar.

Town were more than holding their own, with Jamie McDonald getting in behind the Fleet defence with regularity only to fail to find the final ball.

In a half of few chances, Fleet had the best one of the later stages of the first period when Danny Kedwell found space outside the box and shot towards goal, with Ascroft producing a fine save to his right.

Ebbsfleet started the second half with purpose, with Shields causing problems cutting inside from the left and forcing a good block with one particular shot.

McDonald then almost opened the scoring in bizarre circumstances when, having won the ball back high up the field, he spotted keeper Nathan Ashmore off his line.

His lob from fully 40 yards was goalbound, but Ashmore just about got back to tip it over the bar.

Sean Williams then fizzed a shot just wide, but the hosts then started to establish more possession.

They could not break down Town’s defence though, giving the visitors more belief something could happen at the other end.

Liam Goulding had an effort cleared off the line before the magic moment came seven minutes from time.

Rory McKeown got to the byline and pulled back into the area, where substitute Kinsella was waiting to sweep the ball home.

Ebbsfleet piled on the pressure, even throwing centre-half Dave Winfield up front, in search of an equaliser.

It eventually came in the 92nd minute as Kedwell flicked on a long ball and Shields flashed an effort beyond Ascroft.

Warrington Town: Ascroft, Adam Carden, McKeown, Williams (Barnes), McCarten, Goulding, Green, Vassallo, McDonald, Gray (Beeley), Hayhurst (Kinsella). Subs not used: Bakkor, Milne.