Peterborough United......1

Tranmere Rovers...........1

Tranmere demonstrated their prospective Football League credentials after coming from behind to clinch a deserved replay against Peterborough United in the FA Cup first round.

Jack Marriott gave the League One hosts the lead early in the second half but they were pegged back when substitute Andy Cook nodded home 18 minutes from time to take the tie back to Prenton Park.

Micky Mellon made two changes to the side that comfortably saw off FC Halifax Town last weekend.

With Jay Harris suspended, Ollie Norburn returned to the Rovers midfield whilst Jay McEveley was given the nod in the centre of defence at the expense of Mitch Duggan, as an adaptable 3-5-2 formation was deployed.

There was little action in the opening stages but the first chance of the match fell to Tranmere in the eleventh minute, when Liam Ridehalgh’s free kick hit the wall and Norburn smashed a volley just wide of the goal.

Boyed by a solid start, Rovers came again and this time James Norwood was only denied by the feet of Posh ‘keeper Conor O’Malley from 10 yards out.

Norwood pulled a longer-range effort wise before sluggish United responded with Leo De Silva Lopes blazing over from long range.

Mellon’s men were not looking like the non-league side one inch but they had to be on their guard when Ryan Tafazolli headed one over the bar on 20 minutes.

Chances were at a premium for both sides but just past the half hour mark, McEveley cut inside and thumped one narrowly wide of the goal from 20 yards.

On the stroke of half time Jeff Hughes scuffed a 25-yard effort wide for Rovers, who undoubtedly went in at the break the better side.

Posh came out for the second half with more vigour and should have taken the lead on 47 minutes when Gwion Edwards volleyed Marcus Maddison’s free kick over the bar from six yards out.

Davies could take no chances five minutes later when he flicked a teasing ball from Maddison around the post, but from the subsequent corner Peterborough took the lead when Rovers failed to clear the danger and Marriott pounced on the turn for his 11th goal of the season.

Tranmere responded positively with Norwood bursting through the middle of the park but he could only pull his 20-yard effort well wide.

A mistake in the Rovers’ defence let Marriot in again but his shot was deflected over the bar.

O’Malley had to be alert to deny Norwood once more, after good work from Norburn, before Gerry McDonagh headed another effort for the visitors over the bar.

The Whites lived a little dangerously with one clearance ricocheting over Davies’ crossbar before Tafazolli blazed over from the resultant corner.

Michael Doughty stuck another effort over the bar on the counter attack, as Posh failed to kill the game off.

But with 18 minutes remaining Rovers drew level. A cross from from Jeff Hughes was met by the towering presence of substitute Andy Cook, whose downward header squeezed past O’Malley into the net.

Tranmere continued to toil for an unlikely winner, with O’Malley tipping a fierce shot from Norburn over the bar, but the two teams will have to go again in Birkenhead.

This was an impressive performance against superior opposition from an ever-improving Tranmere side.

A replay was the least they deserved.

Mellon said: "We came here determined to play football and show everybody what good players that we have and I know that we’ve done that.

“We wanted to ensure that Tranmere Rovers were represented properly and I think from the first minute to the last the boys took massive credit in doing that.

“We showed the qualities that were needed and unfortunately we just couldn’t get that winner at the end.

“It was a really good cup tie. It was nip and tuck for most of the game and probably anyone could have won it.

"Credit to all the players for the way they attacked the game and made it a proper FA Cup tie.”