Grantham Town host Sherwood Colliery in an FA Cup replay

Grantham and Sherwood must try again tonight (Tuesday) to settle their FA Cup extra preliminary round tie after two first half goals led to a 90 minute stalemate on Saturday.

The Gingerbreads had fallen behind midway through the opening period when Aaron Korpal put their Northern Premier League East Division hosts ahead.

However, the lead lasted just three minutes before Rodrigo Goncalves equalised for Grantham whose head coach Louis Bland felt his side could have settled the game in the 90 minutes available to them.

He said: "We were poor for the first 15 to 20 minutes.

"From there I thought we were the better side and created enough chances to win the game.

"We will go again on Tuesday and hopefully have enough to get through."

Neither side created much in the opening 20 minutes.

Grantham created the only early opportunity on five minutes when Brad Munns played a square ball for Goncalves but from 20 yards out he shot wide.

The game sparked into life shortly after. A Grantham long throw was gathered by Sherwood goalkeeper Jordan Pierpoint and he quickly played long for Korpal to control and run on to slide a shot past Curtis Hall.

The goal shocked Grantham into life and three minutes later they levelled the game.

Munns made space on the left to square the ball for Goncalves and, from 20 yards out, he rifled a shot into the top corner of the net with Pierpoint clutching fresh air.

Although Grantham dominated possession, they struggled to create chances against a resolute Sherwood defence.

Late in the first half the two sides swapped chances.

Two minutes before the break, a good Grantham move opened up the Sherwood defence. Sam Muggleton played a good ball to Munns and his cross was met by Leke Shodunke eight yards out but a brilliant stop by Pierpoint kept scores level.

Two minutes later it was Hall's turn to keep scores even as Korpal again threatened the Gingerbreads goal.

He got in behind the Grantham defence but, from point blank range, Hall reacted superbly to turn Korpal's shot round the post.

The second half had a similar pattern but neither side could break the deadlock.

After 56 minutes, Grantham had a three-against-three with the Sherwood defence. Half-time substitute Freddie McGrady ran at the home rearguard but in the end a weak shot was a poor return from a good situation.

Just after the hour mark, Munns went agonisingly close to putting Grantham in front.

Louis Nicholson played Munns in on the left and the Grantham midfielder turned inside looking for a shooting chance before curling an effort beyond Pierpoint only to see his shot come back off the angle of post and crossbar.

Sherwood tried to break the Grantham defence down but found them in resilient mood until the 73rd minute when the home side broke clear through Korpal and it took a quick dash out of his penalty area from Hall to snuff out the danger.

Hall kept the scores level again seven minutes from time when a free kick from 30 yards out almost caught the Grantham defence napping.

Jamie York took aim instead of lifting the ball high into the penalty area and Hall had to backpedal quickly to turn his effort over the crossbar.

Munns had one more chance to settle the game as Grantham again opened up the home side down the left hand side.

Munns started the move with a good wide ball to Lewis Greenfield and followed up to take a return pass, cut inside and drive a shot goalward that flew just wide of the post.

The replay at the Meres tonight (Tuesday) kicks-off at 7.45pm.

Grantham Town Supporters Club Lottery winners: £200 D Howitt, £10 D Jackson, J Howard, £10 Kevin Beardsley.