Following on from United's fine FA Cup victory in midweek, Paul Hughes' side travelled to Wingate & Finchley in the FA Trophy with a second half Phil Roberts strike earning United a replay at a wet and windy Maurice Rebak Stadium.

With neither side showing much invention in the early exchanges, it was a shock to the system when the home side struck a fine goal in just the ninth minute. Former United defender Luke Ifil collected the ball on the right and picked out Roman Michael-Percil who fired an excellent 20 yard shot beyond the reach of Jack Smith into the far corner of the United net.

With the home side controlling possession to a large extent without troubling the United defence, it was more than 20 minutes before the visitors created an opening of their own. Toby Little playing over a deep free-kick that Liam McDevitt stretched to pull the ball back from beyond the far post to Phil Roberts but his header went straight into the arms of 'keeper Shane Gore.

Just beyond the half hour mark a sloppy pass from United skipper Ismail Yakubu was intercepted by Wingate substitute Eoin McKeown, the striker entering the box only for his shot to be blocked by McDevitt with Smith pouncing onto the loose ball.

The final chance of the half came in stoppage time when Omar Rowe broke away on the left before picking out Lyle Della-Verde but his shot was well blocked by Sean Grace and the home side went in a deserved goal ahead at the interval.

Paul Hughes made a change coming out for the second half with top scorer James Clark joining the fray in place of Toby Little.

It was however the home side who started the second half in the ascendancy once more. Alan Fleming fired wide from distance before Tommy Tejan-Sie surged upfield, setting up another shooting chance for Michael-Percil, this time Smith was equal to it though, tipping the drive onto the bar and over with the resultant corner coming to nothing. Still the hosts pressed on, Tejan-Sie fired in a free-kick that a flying Grace met but his header went just over the top.

Then, around the hour United started to take control of proceedings. Jack Williams collected the ball on the left, his first time centre finding Clark who saw his shot deflected wide by a timely defensive interception and three minutes later United pulled themselves level. Debutant defender Johnville Renee received the ball and cut in from the right, his low skidding shot was pushed away by Gore only for Roberts to get to the loose ball first to run home his second of the campaign.

Gore was required by the hosts again just two minutes later, this time he did well to push wide a drive from Roberts and as the ball was quickly cleared to Tanasheh Abrahams on the left at the other end, his cross was met by McKeown with his header only just clearing the United goal.

Another chance for Wingate came in the 73rd minute when William Dupray tried to lob Smith from the corner of the box, the United stopper tipping his attempt over the bar. From the resultant corner the ball was eventually worked again to Dupray who this time fired over from the edge of the box.

The final ten minutes again saw United on the march looking for a winner. Della-Verde picked out the newly returned Elliott Buchanan, he turned his marker on the edge of the box and   shot looking for the far corner, sadly his effort went just wide.

Soon after Renee and Clark exchanged passes with the defender’s on target drive being pushed away by Gore who shortly after denied Buchanan who saw his angled shot saved at the near post after good approach work from Rowe and Clark on the right.

And there endeth the game with a replay to be played at the SKYex on Tuesday adding to United's already congested fixture list.

Report by Kevin Watts.

United Man of the Match: Jack Smith.