Woking came from behind to draw 1-1 at home to fellow National League outfit Brackley Town in the fourth qualifying round of the Emirates FA Cup on Saturday.

A second-half debut goal from new Woking signing Ashley Boatswain was enough to send the FA Cup fourth qualifying round fixture at the Laithwaite Community Stadium to a replay.

The on-loan Ipswich Town player was one of five substitutes that changed the game on the hour mark to make sure Neal Ardley’s side remained in the hat for the draw for the first round proper.

“We couldn’t move the ball quickly enough and were very tepid in the first half,” said Ardley.

“We had some stern words at half-time and then started well in the second half.

“We took a risk making all five substitutions and changing shape but we looked more likely to go on and win.”

Brackley had started the game brightly and took the lead in the 12th minute through Matt Lowe.

The Cards almost got back on level terms a minute later when Olly Sanderson fired his shot over the crossbar.

The hosts had another chance to equalise on 41 minutes but Aaron Drewe’s shot went high and wide.

Ardley’s decisive intervention saw Boatswain, Matt Ward, Jake Forster-Caskey, Josh Osude and Timmy Akinola replace Tariq Hinds, Josh Kelly, Harry Beautyman, Jack Turner and Jamie Andrews.

Woking’s equaliser arrived in the 70th minute when Forster-Caskey’s quick corner was headed home by Boatswain.

The Cards went on to look like the team that were most likely to score a winner, but Tunji Akinola had to make two goal-saving tackles late on to deny Brackley a winner.

Woking keeper Will Jaaskelainen was called into action in stoppage time, when he made a smart save to deny Connor Hall.

By Ben Parker