WINSFORD seemingly missed enough chances to have won the FA Cup outright, in the extra-preliminary round on Saturday.
They were technically better than Alsager who had enough height and muscle to make life difficult for United and eventually escape with a draw.
The Blues made the better start playing neat passing football as opposed to the visitors' route one tactics and they might have taken a 17th minute lead when Neil Marsh's volley just skimmed the bar.
The home side piled on the pressure and the much-vaunted defence of the visitors looked surprisingly suspect to any crosses into the box. Chris Hutchinson's long throw-ins were causing particular difficulties.
It came as no surprise when Winsford took a 24th minute lead from Iain Stan-ton's inswinging corner. The flag kick cleared the tall defenders and found Rick Arnold at the far post and he neatly turned the ball in.
The flow was all one way at this time and Chris Melia was unlucky to see his typical glancing near post header hit the crossbar with the visitors' goalkeeper Jason Coventry rooted to the line.
Alsager's answer was to send more long balls down the middle for the forwards to chase but they found the twin centrehalves of Marsh and Dave Chambers in full control.
Winsford continued to press in the second period and had several chances to increase their lead and looked to have done so when Mark Quinn's pinpoint centre from the left found Hutchinson with the goal at his mercy, but somehow his header missed the right post.
The Blues paid for their misses on 74 minutes when the defence failed to make a decisive clearance and Richard Mitchell scrambled the ball home.
Even then they had chances to wrap up the tie with Wellstead and Arnold being presented with chances but Alsager hung on for the replay.
