STALEMATE SETS UP BRISTOL ROAD REPLAY

Ardley United v Portishead Town, Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round, Saturday 8th August

Report by Darren Vowles

Portishead Town will have to do it all again after being held to a goalless draw by Ardley United in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round, despite enjoying the better of the chances in Oxfordshire.

Kye Mountford's side made a bright start and immediately looked to impose themselves on the contest. Jaden Neale and Jack Thorne both found early shooting opportunities, but Ardley goalkeeper Harry Way was equal to them as the visitors began firmly on the front foot.

Portishead continued to enjoy the majority of possession and came within inches of taking the lead in the 23rd minute. A pinpoint delivery picked out Neale, whose header beat Way but came back off the post.

The Posset continued to probe, with Ethan Feltham heading Kyle Egan's corner wide as they searched for a deserved breakthrough.

Ardley enjoyed their best spell of pressure as the interval approached, forcing a string of corners, but the Portishead defence stood firm and James Walker remained largely untroubled.

Instead, it was the visitors who almost broke the deadlock before half-time. Ollie Woodhouse arrived at the back post to power a header goalwards, only for Way to produce an outstanding save, somehow tipping the effort onto the crossbar to ensure the sides went into the break goalless.

The pattern continued after the restart, with Portishead seeing plenty of the ball and Neale again denied by the impressive Way.

Mountford rang the changes in the 55th minute, introducing Josh Jenkins, Dean Preddie, Mitch Osmond and Aron Robbins as the Posset looked to find a way through a resolute Ardley defence.

The substitutions almost paid immediate dividends. Within five minutes Preddie drove at his full-back before delivering a dangerous ball into the area, where Jenkins met it with his head but was unable to generate enough power to seriously trouble Way.

Ardley remained disciplined and well organised, defending deep and denying Portishead the space to turn their territorial advantage into the goal they craved.

At the other end, Ollie Woodhouse and Steve Kingdon were superb throughout, dealing with everything that came their way and helping restrict the hosts to barely a clear-cut opportunity all afternoon.

With the tie drifting towards a replay, Portishead had one final opportunity to snatch victory deep into stoppage time. Preddie drove purposefully at the Ardley defence before cutting inside, but his low effort flashed agonisingly wide.

The final whistle confirmed a goalless draw and means the two sides will meet again at Bristol Road on Tuesday evening, with a place in the FA Cup Preliminary Round and a meeting with Larkhall Athletic awaiting the winners.

Portishead will perhaps feel they could have settled the tie at the first attempt, having twice struck the woodwork and found Way in good form, but there was plenty to take from a controlled display. They now have home advantage and another 90 minutes in which to finish the job.