Gallery: Boro face Vale replay after Griffin's late leveller

Port Vale 1 Stevenage Borough 1

CHARLIE Griffin was the toast of Boro on Saturday afternoon as his late header gave Graham Westley's men the draw they deserved after a confident display at League Two Port Vale in the First Round of the FA Cup.

Griffin got on the end of a Mitchell Cole cross to head home the equaliser on 90 minutes at Vale Park after Boro had blown a host of chances to put the game to bed long before their injury time heroics.

Boro had 13 efforts to Vale's five during the game, but their wastefulness in front of goal had almost cost them the tie after Adam Yates had put Vale in front with their only shot on target in the entire match just before half time.

Boro went into the game without the injured Lee Boylan (knee) while midfielder Darren Murphy also missed out due to an injured collarbone. Andy Drury, however, was ruled fit to start having shaken off a knee injury.

Westley's men had the best of the opening exchanges and by 30 minutes had registered nine efforts at goal to the Valiants' two as they dominated proceedings.

After just five minutes David Bridges headed left of the goal after getting on the end of a Scott Laird cross, while at the other end a Lewis Haldane shot flew high and handsome of the Boro goal 90 seconds later.

Boro had another headed chance on 14 minutes, this time Griffin diverting a Cole cross just left of the target, and the headed chances just kept on coming with Vale's leading scorer this season, Marc Richards, putting the ball over following a Kris Taylor corner.

The first effort on goal came from Michael Bostwick whose shot was saved by Chris Martin in the Valiants' goal, and the same two players were involved minutes later when again Martin was more than a match for the Stevenage midfielder.

The early signs were good for Boro and they had two extremely good chances to score on around the 30 minute mark but Yemi Odubade shot wide from six yards while moments later Griffin, who was causing the home defence all kinds of problems, put the ball over the crossbar from the same distance from goal.

Bridges too had an effort saved by Martin, who was being kept busy by a fiercely determined Boro attack, but despite Boro's onslaught they were undone by Yates whose shot from the edge of the box nestled into the bottom right hand corner.

Yates had only been given a starting berth after 32-year-old Vale fullback Sam Stockley retired earlier this week due to an eye injury, but he came to his side's rescue with his first of the season to put his side up at the break.

The goal gave Vale a lift and just a minute after the restart the dangerous Richards went close when he headed just over from a couple of yards out.

Boro responded with a couple of efforts but they were unable to break down League Two's fifth most miserly defence.

Scott Laird was taken on with just over 10 minutes to go after being on the receiving end of a couple of biting tackles with Westley sending on Peter Vincenti no doubt hoping the Channel Islander could repeat his trick in the previous round when he scored just moments after coming on against Chelmsford City.

Vincenti almost came up trumps again against Vale but put an effort just wide five minutes after coming on, and it was left to Griffin to pop up with the equaliser to send the visiting supporters into raptures and the home fans booing their own side on the sound of the full time whistle.

Boro face a replay against Vale on November 17 with the winner being drawn to host Huddersfield Town on the weekend of November 28.

Port Vale: Martin, McCombe, Yates, Collins, Owen, Griffith, Fraser, Taylor, Jarrett, Richards, Haldane (Guy, 72). Subs: Anyon, Prosser, Taylor, Loft, Howland, Dodds.

Stevenage: Day, Henry, Ashton (Byrom, 87), Roberts, Laird (Vincenti, 80), Bridges, Cole, Drury (Odhiambo, 87), Bostwick, Griffin, Odubade. Subs: Bayes, Albrighton, Long, Beardsley.

Referee: Craig Pawson.

Attendance: 3,999