WORCESTER City keeper Nathan Vaughan was in the thick of the action at National League North neighbours Solihull Moors, helping his side earn an FA Cup replay at Aggborough on Tuesday with a 1-1 draw.

He played a starring role to keep the Moors at bay in the first period only to be beaten from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time after he was adjudged to have brought down Solihull striker Stefan Moore.

The decision looked harsh on the 34-year-old shot-stopper and his fury continued as he disappeared down the tunnel at the end of a scintillating half.

But City showed just how far they have progressed since their 3-0 defeat at Solihull back in August when they emerged after the break and took the game to their hosts, finally securing a deserved draw when Deon Burton scored 15 minutes from time.

It was the visitors who made the smarter start and had a glorious chance to open the scoring after just five minutes.

Excellent work from Dan Nti took him down the right wing before crossing for the unmarked Burton but the striker lifted his shot over the target from eight yards.

Nti forced Solihull's Benjamin Siegrist into a save midway through the half when he let fly from 25 yards but much of the first-half action was at the other end with Vaughan by far the busier of the two keepers.

On 27 minutes, he did well to push away a powerful Ryan Beswick effort and moments later he was in action again to deny the same player from the resulting corner.

Sam Minihan cleared a Moore shot off the line before Vaughan produced another excellent save to dive full-length to push Akwasi Asante’s low shot around the foot of the post.

On 45 minutes, referee Ricky Wootton pointed to the spot after Moore went over inside the box and the former Villa forward made no mistake from the spot.

But, apart from a late chance from substitute Andy Brown, the half-time interval signalled the end to Solihull’s dominance and the second period was all about City clawing their way back into the game.

With leading scorer Lee Hughes being well marshalled by the excellent Moors defence, it was Nti who posed the biggest threat to the home side.

On 65 minutes, he had an effort blocked in front of goal by Gareth Dean before Liam Daly had to clear an Nti effort off the line after the City man had strolled past Dean and lifted his shot over the advancing keeper.

The pressure finally told 15 minutes from the end when a free-kick from Sean Geddes finally fell to Burton 15 yards out and he managed to thread a shot through a sea of legs and beyond Siegrist in the Moors goal.

Brown lobbed a 30-yard effort onto the roof of the goal deep in injury-time but a late winner would have been harsh on the visitors who deserved to take the tie back to Worcestershire on Tuesday (7.45pm).