An early opportunity presented itself to Callum Kealy after some good work from Harvey Laidlaw and Nana Owusu. Kealy was picked out in the area but couldn’t find the target with his effort.

The Hawks were forced into a change early in the tie as, Midfielder, Josh Dockerill was stretchered from the field of play after going down in the centre of the pitch. Any tempo the game had gained seemed to drop following the lengthy stoppage as the Hawks controlled the play but the hosts looked to cause damage when they had the opportunities coming forwards.

The best opportunity of the first period fell to the hosts as Obinna Anaebonam was denied in spectacular fashion by Devante Stanley. Owen Brain worked enough space to drive down the wing and flashed a low ball across goal into the path of Anaebonam who had the goal gaping. Out of nowhere, Stanley was able to get a vital recovery challenge in to deny a goal and win the Hawks a goal kick in the process.

HALF TIME: Taunton Town 0-0 Havant and Waterlooville

Within a few minutes of the restart, the Hawks had fashioned a great chance. Olly Pendlebury worked the ball centrally to Ryan Seager. He got a strike away but Taunton keeper Gould was on hand to save.

Despite creating the first chance of the second period, it was Taunton who were quickest out the blocks from the restart. Owen Brain coming in from the left drove infield before unleashing a fierce effort into the bottom corner to open the scoring.

Taunton found their groove defensively and made it extremely difficult for the Hawks coming forwards but after creating chances they would find a breakthrough through substitute Reuben Swann. After the Hawks won a corner, Leon Maloney picked out the run of Reuben in the area and rising highest he powered an excellent header into the back of the net.

Persisting in their attacking efforts, the Hawks continued to come forward and test the Taunton defence but unfortunately the breakthrough just wouldn’t come. Taunton came close to winning the tie deep in injury time but a brilliant save from Ferdinand would preserve a point for the Hawks to take back to Hampshire

FULL TIME: Taunton Town 1-1 Havant and Waterlooville

Taunton Town: Gould (GK), Grimes (C), Humphrey-Ewers, Purrington, Zebroski (Rice-Lethaby 82’), Brain (Feltham 89’), Hodgson, Moulden, Matthews, Nielsen, Anaebonam (Croome 73’)

Unused Subs: Sully, Morgan

Goal: Brain 49’

Cautions: Brain 44’, Rice-Lethaby 86’, Feltham 90+4’

Havant and Waterlooville: Ferdinand (GK), Stanley, Austin, Seager (C), Maloney, Kealy (Whittingham 80’), Pendlebury, Owusu (Swann 63’), Milner-Smith, Dockerill (Aston 9’), Laidlaw

Unused Subs: Walker-Harris (GK), Tshaka

Goal: Swann 71’

Cautions: Swann 90+4’, Maloney 90+5’