JORDAN Cobley presumably wasn’t contemplating his impact on this tie when he was dismissed for a duck while turning out for Barnton a fortnight earlier.

In fact, Northwich Victoria manager Paul Moore had admonished him previously for missing a friendly to play cricket for the village club instead.

On Saturday the teenager, who turned 19 in midweek, walked around the corner from his family home to sit on the bench alongside the home team’s substitutes.

And it is from there he entered into Vics’ folklore after scoring a stunning equaliser, with his first touch, to earn a deserved replay.

Moore’s men had trailed 1874 Northwich by two goals despite having an extra man for the entire second period following Paul Connor’s dismissal before the break.

Brian Matthews’ header, shortly after Scott McGowan had doubled his personal tally for the visitors, was a catalyst for Vics to recover.

They certainly ended the contest happier.

That is not to say 1874 were hanging on during seven minutes of added time prompted by an injury to defender Danny Thomas.

On the contrary, Sam Hind’s header came back off the crossbar from a corner.

His teammates had looked sharp and purposeful from the first whistle, and were gifted an opportunity to take the lead when full-back Daniel McDonnell grabbed a fistful of Taylor Kennerley’s shirt as a panicked reaction to the winger skipping past him.

McGowan duly swept in from the spot.

Adam Whitlock appeared certain to make it 2-0, only for Vics goalkeeper Richie Mottram to produce an instinctive save to his right to deny the youngster.

When the away side then jabbed an effort against the woodwork from the resulting corner, they sensed an early kill.

But they let their prey wriggle free.

1874 still looked more likely scorers though, and Hind drilled straight at Mottram before than sending an angled attempt wide of the far post after Whitlock nodded Ben Woods’ deep cross into his path.

Connor was then shown a red card by referee Kristian Silcock following an untidy tangle with wide man Sam Marshall.

It did change the course of the contest straightaway, and Vics’ reaction was a delayed one.

They did make Greg Hall work to foil Matthews, but ought to have fallen further behind when Jack Pritchard skied over when McGowan’s scuffed shot dribbled his way.

A second goal arrived shortly afterwards when first Kennerley and then Whitlock headed on a free kick to McGowan, whose lobbed attempt looped over Mottram with the aid of a slight deflection off recovering Adam Lawrence.

It was vital for Vics to respond swiftly, and they did.

Matthews, picked out by Stuart McDonald’s chipped cross from the right, thumped a perfectly-placed header into the net.

Moore played his part in the leveller, inviting Cobley to venture further forward than Conor Gittins – himself an interval replacement for out-of-sorts McDonnell – had been able with Kennerley requiring his full attention.

Ironically, given his choice, it stumped 1874.

Cobley drifted into a space behind Woods to receive Michael McDonald’s angled pass and, after steadying himself with an assured first touch, lashed the ball high past Hall with his second.

Matthews almost grabbed the glory from the youngster when his curled attempt brushed a post, as did Hind when he arched his back to direct Kennerley’s corner against the woodwork.

Tuesday’s replay at Barton Stadium has plenty to live up to.

Vics | 4-4-2 | Mottram (GK), McDonnell (Gittins 46, Cobley 81), Lawrence, Lyndon, Michael McDonald, Stuart McDonald, Bennett, Berrisford (Kavanagh 69), Marshall, Matthews, Walker Subs not used Boumba, Alston, Smith, Shaw Goals Matthews 68, Cobley 83 Booked McDonnell (dissent), Gittins (foul)

1874 | 4-4-2 | Hall (GK), Connor, Thomas (Meadowcroft 79), Pritchard, Woods, Whitlock, Matthew Woolley, Waite-Jackson (Lever 46), Kennerley, Hind, McGowan Subs not used Riley, Parker, Beadle, Clayton, Spencer (GK) Goals McGowan 4 (penalty), 60 Booked McGowan (foul) Sent off Connor (foul)

Referee Kristian Silcock

Attendance 510