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The empty stands are clear to see as Joel Ledgister tried to round John Beales.

Struggling Ryman League side Tonbridge embarrassed Oxford United by holding them at the Kassam Stadium in the FA Trophy first round on Saturday to earn a replay at Longmead Stadioum on Tuesday night.

And it could have been worse for Darren Patterson's team, with Angels substitute Hamid Barr shooting against the foot of the post 14 minutes from time.

For much of the game, there was little between the sides, even though there were 50 or so places between them.

Tonbridge gave the U's a mighty scare after just one minute. Anthony Storey fired in a cross-shot from the left, which Billy Turley pawed out, and Tommy Tyne was close to hooking the loose ball into an empty goal.

Reader Poll Who was United's man of the match v Tonbridge? James Clarke 42.9% Barry Quinn 28.6% Carl Pettefer 0.0% Joel Ledgister 0.0% Luke Foster 28.6%

Turley was injured in the process, and needed treatment on his shoulder and the back of his neck soon after.

Joel Ledgister's pace and skill on the right flank was creating openings but he overhit his pass when Yemi Odubade made a run through the middle.

With Rob Duffy starting his first game since September, following a broken arm, it was a rare chance to see the Duffy-Odubade partnership back in harness.

But when Duffy did well to head back a left-wing cross for his striking partner, Odubade went with his foot rather than his head, and the opportunity had gone.

Barry Quinn battles for a late header.

Having had the game's first shot, Tonbridge soon forced the game's first corner.

But it was from their second corner, on 38 minutes, that they were within inches of breaking the deadlock.

The ball was cleared only as far as midfielder Scott Kinch, who hit a powerful drive from 16 yards which Turley just managed to get his fist to, diverting it over the bar.

Moments later, Odubade had a free run on goal and his speed took him clear. But he couldn't match the run with a finish, his left-footed shot as goalkeeper Matt Reed came out drifting past the far post.

Oxford midfielder Carl Pettefer, returning to the side after a three-match suspension, tried to make something happen with a forceful run through the centre, but he too finished weakly, his low shot easily gathered by Reed.

There looked to be a bit more urgency to the home side in the second half as they playede the ball around more quickly.

Odubade lashed in an angled shot from the left that Reed beat out, and the U's began to dominate.

Yet Angels nearly stole in front when Matt Lovell flicked out at Tyne's low cross from the bye-line, only to see his effort flash a foot past the near post.

United replaced their strikers early in the second half with Ashley Barnes and Gary Twigg replacing Duffy and Odubade respectively.

Yet Tonbridge still looked relatively comfortable, at least until the introduction of Danny Rose for Oxford.

He forced a corner within seconds of arriving on the pitch, and when the flag kick was cleared only as far as Barry Quinn, the Irishman drilled in a 20-yard drive that Reed saved at full stretch.

Reed also did well to stop a fierce drive from Phil Trainer and then got a touch on Rose's shot to turn it around his near post, as the Blue Square Premier side applied late pressure.

Oxford Utd: Turley, Clarke, Quinn, Foster, Jeannin, Ledgister, Hutchinson (Rose 67), Pettefer, Trainer, Odubade (Twigg 58), Duffy (Barnes 53). Subs not used: Warrall, Corcoran.

Referee: Andrew Rodda (Devon).

Att: 1,508 (227 from Tonbridge).

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