Braintree Town 0 Hampton & Richmond Borough 0

Hampton worked very hard for the full 90 minutes away from home to earn themselves a replay at the Beveree on Tuesday night for a place in the third qualifying round of the FA cup and the best part of £5,000.

Minutes into the first half, Jon McDonald was the first name in the referee's book as he was adjudged to have elbowed a Braintree player as he went up for a header.

This was to set the tone for the rest of the match, as play was to become disjointed with many free-kicks given to either side.

Hampton had the better of the chances in the first half as, first, Jamie Collins went close, firing wide of the upright from just outside the box.

Shortly after, Lawrence Yaku turned the Braintree centre half and shot over the bar from inside the area after a long ball.

Hampton could also count themselves unlucky not to have been awarded a penalty at the end of the first half.

After a corner came over and the defence pushed up, Collins stole in behind and got a touch before the keeper and was brought down.

Stonewall penalty and an almost certain red card, but the assistant's flag was raised as Collins was adjudged offside.

Braintree came into the game much more in the second half, pressing for the majority of the next 45 minutes, with any attacks Hampton mustered being disjointed and unsuccessful.

The best chance of the second half fell to Braintree and was made by Jon Keeling.

Good passing in the middle of the park allowed the winger to get free down the left flank and cross to Sean marks, who had stolen a yard at the back post.

He only to head into the back of the Hampton net and, had it not been for Matt Lovett’s left hand, Braintree would have taken the lead.

There was still time for Nathan Collier to make his first-team debut for the club, who didn’t look out of place in the centre of midfield, and for a slight goalmouth scramble in the Braintree penalty area in added on time from a corner.

Thoughts now turn to the replay on Tuesday and the first home league game for almost a month on Saturday and, hopefully, they can take the encouraging performances from the last couple of weeks and build on them.

Hampton: Matt Lovett, Marcello Fernandes, Craig Tanner, Orlando Jeffrey, John Scarborough, Dean Wells (C), Jamie Collins, Jon McDonald (Graham Harper, 45), Craig Dundas, Lawrence Yaku (Stuart Lake, 80), Barrie Matthews (Nathan Collier, 80)

Subs: Ashley Smith, Elliott Braithwaite

Bookings: McDonald, Lake

Man of the match: Jamie Collins

Attendance: 327