SWINDON Town are in the draw for the FA Cup second round, but they will have to defeat Cheltenham in a first-round replay to confirm their spot after being held to a dramatic 1-1 draw away from home.

It seemed Swindon’s Whaddon Road curse had been lifted after Jerry Yates spectacularly put the visitors ahead in injury time.

But, from kick off, Cheltenham substitute Alex Addai silenced a jubilant visiting end when beating Steven Benda’s right reach to rescue a replay.

Richie Wellens’ team dominated passages of play – particularly in the second half – and even had a goal disallowed with less than 20 minutes played.

But the club’s seven-year wait to defeat a Football League team in the sport’s oldest competition will have to wait for a minimum of another week.

Three enforced changes were made by Richie Wellens.

Eoin Doyle and Anthony Grant (ineligible) missed out while Keshi Anderson was also missing due to his leg injury.

Danny Rose made his first start in over a month after nursing a hamstring knock, Kaiyne Woolery and Jordan Lyden were the other two to make up Wellens’ XI.

Excitement that is naturally generated in the build-up to a local derby wasn’t matched by the game’s initial quality.

Neither team could establish a foothold in the game, some players literally couldn’t – Baudry slipped several times as rain from the morning continued to lash down in the shadows of Cleeve Hill.

Swindon created two chances at the half reached its midpoint.

Both fell to Woolery. He opted the square the first – which eventually ended in Flinders’ gloves – when it was perhaps easier to shoot.

The second was similar, this time the 24-year-old pulled the trigger. But his weak effort was gathered by the home ‘keeper.

Cheltenham’s first sight on goal came with half-an-hour played, but Raglan’s long-range drive could only be blasted into the packed away end. Five minutes later, a defensive mix-up between Benda and Fryers granted Varney a sight on goal.

But the Robins’ joint top scorer couldn’t take advantage of the pair’s tangle, his eventual effort was comfortably caught by Wellens’ on-loan stopper.

Swindon enjoyed periods of sustained pressure at the other end.

Half chances fell to Donohue and Doughty, the former also delivered a wicked low cross parallel with the goal line from six yards out – but no purple shirt could tap home the opener.

Jerry Yates missed the best chance, though. A delightful through ball by Doughty was met by the Rotherham forward, who went one-on-one with Flinders – who pulled off a brave reaction save.

Referee Scott Oldham stole the half’s limelight late on, though.

Oldham blew his whistle for half-time as Doughty went to take a late free-kick 30-yards out, despite a minute being used up by both teams to setup for the set-piece.

His call angered Wellens, who made his opinion known to officials – as did several visiting players.

Neither manager opted to make a change at half-time with the score goalless.

Steven Benda was almost left red-faced when fumbling Tozer’s long throw from the right minutes after the re-start, Oldham’s whistle for a free kick promptly halted play, though.

Jerry Yates was then twice denied what would’ve been his first FA Cup goal.

Build-up from a free kick after Doughty was fouled resulted in the 22-year-old shooting from the edge of the hosts’ penalty area, his powerful effort was bravely blocked.

Then, minutes later, Donohue’s cross from the left was met by the forward – who powered his header against Flinders’ back post, a spectacular let off for Cheltenham.

Though Duff’s XI failed to crack under Swindon’s relentless pressure, the game’s atmosphere intensified tremendously – in the away end at least.

Home supporters were rather muted as the game reached its final 20 minutes, and the hosts fell flat.

Pressure told, and Swindon had the ball in the back of the net with 73 minutes on the clock.

But celebrations in the away end were interrupted when Yates was flagged for offside after he deflected Doughty’s efforts from 20 yards.

Cheltenham still had their moments and enjoyed a period of pressure with 10 minutes remaining after Duff made his three changes – Wellens was still yet to make a move.

Luke Varney was frustratingly denied a through ball by Doyle-Hayes that would’ve sent Duff’s proven scorer through one-on-one in the closing five minutes.

Yates’ goal then came seconds after three minutes of injury time had been indicated.

He excellently turned his man to nestle a clinical strike into the hosts’ bottom left corner.

But then Addai responded with a similarly eye-catching effort – forcing a replay at the County Ground next week. 

Cheltenham Town: Scott Flinders, Sean Long, Chris Hussey, Ben Tozer, Charlie Raglan, Conor Thomas, Ryan Broom (Max Sheaf, 65’), Will Boyle, Rohan Ince (Jake Doyle-Hayes, 73’), Jonte Smith (Alex Addai, 65’), Luke Varney.

Swindon Town: Steven Benda, Rob Hunt, Mathieu Baudry, Zeki Fryers, Dion Donohue, Diallang Jaiyesimi, Michael Doughty, Jordan Lyden, Danny Rose, Kaiyne Woolery, Jerry Yates.