WORCESTER Raiders were left to rue missed opportunities and a dodgy red card as Malvern Town came from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 and force an FA Cup preliminary round replay at Sixways on Wednesday night.

Isaac Cooper's 47th minute penalty had given Raiders a well deserved 3-1 lead but left-back Syrus Warren-Paul was shown a straight red for a foul on Malvern's Matt Turner in the box, which Joe Bates converted just past the hour to pull one back.

James Febery headed Town level five minutes later to secure the draw and force the replay.

Dave Reynolds' put Malvern ahead against the run of play in the 12th minute but Jordan Murphy equalised from the spot after Adam Sauntson's foul before Joe Billingham headed the away side in front on the stroke of half-time.

Karl Gormley's Raiders started the better of the two sides and should have scored two inside the opening ten minutes but two superb saves from Keiron Blackburn kept out Murphy on both occasions.

Malvern looked ropey at the back and were fortunate to not have conceded before taking the lead through Reynolds' close range finish after the ball pin-balled around the Worcester box.

But as Raiders have done so frequently this season, they did not take long to draw level with the first penalty of the day.

It was not without it's controversy though as on initial viewing, Sauntson appeared to win the ball when denying Murphy what would have been a clear goal but the referee did not agree and Murphy dusted himself off to dispatch the spot kick into the bottom left corner.

The game settled after the hectic start but the visitors remained dangerous on the counter and were winning the battles across the pitch.

With time almost up in the first-half, Malvern thought they had managed to reach the break all square but Raiders' winger Cooper had other ideas as he produced a delicious cross from the left, that met the head of former Malvern player Billingham, who thumped a header past Blackburn.

The second-half was not two minutes old before Worcester extended their lead. Another penalty was awarded as Lewis Platt slid in to cut out Jade Ferron's cross, but the ball hit his hand and the referee pointed to the spot for the second time.

Cooper took it and thumped it down the middle to give Raiders a two-goal cushion.

But then came the real turning point as Warren-Paul saw red for a tug back on Turner's shirt, a decision made all the more difficult to take after the exact same incident was not punished as firmly in the first-half by the referee.

Bates scored from the penalty and then Febery made it 3-3 just five minutes later to set-up the replay on Wednesday evening.