WINCHESTER City suffered 89th-minute heartbreak this afternoon as ten-man Maidenhead United hit back to salvage a 1-1 FA Cup second qualifying round draw at the Denplan City Ground.

 It was desperately hard luck on Paul Masters' Southern One South & West newcomers who, for large parts of the tie, had outplayed their National League South visitors but now face a tough replay at York Road on Tuesday night.

United’s former Eastleigh striker Ben Wright had the first attempt on goal, dipping an effort just over after Jamie Thoroughgood had given away a free-kick in a dangerous position.

Winchester, though, looked far from overawed by their two league higher visitors and let their passing do the talking on 13 minutes, almost forcing a goal.

First Adam Roberts was denied by the keeper’s legs following a back-heel by Zach Glasspool, then visiting keeper Carl Pentney had to make a tumbling save at his near post after Bentley had got a touch on Adam Tomasso’s right-wing cross.

The tie took an unexpected twist on 22 minutes when the Magpies’ ex-Basingstoke forward Dave Tarpey was somewhat harshly red-carded for barging into Micky Hubbard late and leaving the City midfielder winded.

Hubbard continued after treatment, the ten men of Maidenhead regrouped and City keeper Brendan Norris was called upon to save from Josh Huggins at his near post.

Winchester had a couple of failed penalty appeals from Warren Bentley and Glasspool before the breakthrough came on the half-hour.

Dan Cann’s low delivery from the left squirmed through the Magpies’ defence and, after having his initial effort blocked by a defender, Glasspool guided the ball in the top corner at the second attempt.

On 38 minutes Wright almost had an equaliser, wrong-footing his marker and bending a shot against the foot of the upright and back into Norris’s grateful grasp.

Then Winchester so nearly doubled their lead on 44 minutes – Bentley latching onto Roberts’ throughball and squaring for Jamie Barron whose well-controlled half-volley went narrowly wide.

Half-time: Winchester City 1 Maidenhead Utd 0

Even with ten men, Maidenhead proved a handful at the start of the second half with Harry Pritchard lashing wide from a good position before Huggins’ deflected effort span away for a corner.

The visitors then went close with a header from Pritchard’s free kick and, with just half-an-hour to keep themselves in the tie, threw on subs Gavin James and Sam Barratt to put some added spark into attack.

But it was Winchester who had a flurry of chances – the majority falling to Cann who had moved inside to spearhead the attack alongside Bentley after goal-scorer Glasspool had gone off injured.

Cann thumped one effort across the face of goal and rifled another one over.

Sub Matt Benham then drew a top-drawer save from Pentney with a cracking strike from distance.

But the ball seemed magnetically drawn to Cann, who went his closest yet on 73 minutes, turning deftly on the right and unleashing a curling shot which was superbly dealt with by Pentney.

Bentley’s dancing feet then created yet another opening for City, but he rolled his shot wide.

With time ticking down, Maidenhead threw everything at City and young 'keeper Norris temporarily saved the day when he got down to deny Pritchard his near post.

But in the 89th minute Winchester failed to deal with Wright’s well-delivered corner from the left and sub James forced the ball home from close range.

It sparked a mini pitch invasion from a small group of relieved Magpies fans who knew their side had got out of jail.

Full-time: Winchester City 1 Maidenhead Utd 1