Needham Market have been handed a mammoth trip to Devon, to take on Tiverton Town, as a reward if they can beat Met Police in tonight’s FA Cup second qualifying round replay at Bloomfields.

The Marketmen were pegged back to 2-2 at Ember Court, the home of the Met Police, on Saturday.

Dan Morphew converted a 17th minute penalty and Adam Mills then fired the Suffolk visitors into a 2-1 lead early in the second half, before defender Kevin Morphew was sent off for dangerous play on 68 minutes, which helped the hosts to bag an equaliser against the 10 men.

“The FA Cup draws have not been particularly kind to us this season. If we get through the replay, this will be the third away draw we have had,” explained Needham boss Richard Wilkins.

“But first of all we have to deal with the replay. It’s a very big game for us, against a team who play a very direct style of football. They play a 4-2-4 formation, and don’t play through the thirds. That can be a very effective formula, and not one that we come across very often.

“We should be all right, if our centre-halves win their headers and we manage to put more tempo into our game. We played some good football at times on Saturday and they are very vulnerable to the counter-attack, leaving so many players up front.

“I’m sure we would have won the tie on Saturday, if we had not had the man sent off when we were 2-1 up.

“Tiverton away is the sort of tie that both teams will fancy their chances of winning. It’s a very win-able game, but it’s a long journey and we must concentrate first on the replay,” added Wilkins.

Joe Marsden, on the comeback trail after a groin problem, was an unused substitute on Saturday but might well feature tonight.

“Joe is our leading scorer. We were expecting him to be out for a couple of weeks, but it has been more like a month. He gives us balance down the right,” explained Wilkins.

Brightlingsea Regent, who host a replay against Egham Town tonight, have been given a prize draw at home to former Football League club Torquay United if they can win that replay.

Coggeshall Town will be away at either Salisbury or Weston-super-Mare in the next round.