BRIDPORT snatched a last-ditch equaliser against Cadbury Heath as the Bees earned an FA Cup second qualifying round replay following a 2-2 draw at St Mary’s Field.

Heath had twice gone ahead, firstly when George Boon struck after five minutes, and then in the 92nd minute when Simon McElroy pounced on the counter.

But Bridport refused to accept defeat and equalised on two occasions through Richard Hebditch on 49 minutes before a Braeden Symes header sealed a replay with virtually the last kick of the game.

Crucially, Jason Hutchings saved a Matt Huxley penalty in the first half to enable Bridport to go in 1-0 down at half-time, but speaking to Echosport post-match, Bridport manager Adam Fricker felt “a little bit disappointed” after seeing his team dominate the second half.

He said: “I suppose we’re pleased with a replay in the fact that they scored in the last minute of stoppage time and we managed to equalise.

“We dominated the game and had enough opportunities in the second half to kill the game off. We’re a little bit disappointed to be honest.”

Running through his assessment of game that thrilled onlookers with a frantic finale, Fricker described the main emotion as “elation” when Symes headed in a late equaliser.

“To be honest it was quite an even game, we didn’t deserve to be 1-0 down.

“We said to the lads at half-time that we were still in it, very much on top and to have belief and not panic.

“To be fair their keeper did well for them but they had one break towards the end where they managed to get it in the bottom corner past Hutch. I was gutted when that goal went in.

“(The equaliser) was the last kick of the game, we were delighted. When Braeden headed it in it was elation and nothing more than we deserved.

“Cadbury Heath thought they got away with one but what the lads did to keep going and going and going is credit to them,” he said.

Bridport now face a trip to Bristol to contest a replay on Wednesday (7.30pm) and Fricker is keen to “finish the job” having beaten the Heathens 4-1 away earlier in the season.

He said: “We’ll go up there confident and finish the job we started, to be honest.

“We have to be confident based on the performance we’ve done. We know we’ve done it up there once so we need to make sure that we go up there and do it again.”

Bees: Hutchings, Andrews, Vere, L Bailey, Martin, Symes, Thomas, Richardson, Butcher, Salter, Hebditch.

Subs not used: Hayter, Hill, Latas, Handyside, Smith

Cadbury Heath: Wooton, S Bailey, Bamford, Scott, Campbell, Draper, Lee, McElroy, Huxley, Boon.

Subs: Shipp, Clay, Curtis, Harrison, Hallett.

Attendance: 262