NATHAN Jarman’s third goal of the season gave Chester a second shot at FA Cup progression.

The recalled striker cancelled out Paul Connor’s opener to ensure the second qualifying round clash – the reborn Blues’ first match in the competition – ended in a hard-fought draw.

The replay will take place at the Exacta Stadium on Wednesday (7.45pm).

For the second game running Chester – showing three changes to the side which started the disappointing defeat at Boston United – fell behind early on.

There were 10 minutes on the clock when Connor found space in between George Horan and Paul Linwood and sent a looping header beyond the despairing dive of John Danby.

Credit to Dominic Roma for the quality of his cross but Blues boss Neil Young will not be happy with the way Connor was allowed to get free - nor the way his side gave possession away in the lead up to the goal.

The visitors responded well, with Dave Hankin having an effort ruled out for offside and Matty McGinn firing over from distance, but Gainsborough nearly doubled their advantage when Jamie Yates skipped past Horan and saw his cross-come-shot fizz past the post.

Iain Howard should have done better than side-foot wide when Marc Williams played an inviting pass across the box but his blushes were spared by Jarman almost immediately.

Jarman – with a point to prove after being dropped against Boston – raced on to an Antoni Sarcevic pass and rifled an angled drive under the body of Jan Budtz and into the net to restore parity with half-an-hour played.

Buoyed by the equaliser, Chester dominated the remainder of the first half.

A brave block from Luke Waterfall prevented Howard from volleying in a Sarcevic cross while McGinn had Budtz scrambling to his left with a first-time 30-yard attempt that hit the side netting.

The Blues started strongly after the restart, too, but they were unable to trouble Budtz in a scrappy second half that was bereft of clear-cut chances.

The closest they came was when Jarman and Howard combined to send Sarcevic free.

The marauding midfielder pulled the ball back across the six-yard box but a last-gasp tackle from Josh Wilde denied Williams the chance of a simple tap-in.

Gainsborough: Budtz, Roma, Waterfall, Hone, Wilde, Hawkridge, Clarke, Banks (Leary 55), Yates (Nelthorpe 65), Connor, Stamp (Knowles 58). Subs: Young, D’Laryea, Williams, Ridley.

Booked: Yates.

Goal: Connor 10.

Chester: Danby, Baynes (Collins 72), Horan, Linwood, McGinn, Hankin, Sarcevic, Brown (Powell 68), Howard (A Williams 83), Jarman, M Williams. Subs: Fearon, Clancy, Booth.

Booked: McGinn.

Goal: Jarman 30.

Referee: Scott Oldham (Blackpool).

Attendance: 756.