TOWN had to settle for a replay as they were unable to subdue National League side Eastleigh on national television in the first round of the FA Cup.

Despite being 35 league places below Swindon, it was the hosts who took the lead in the 64th minute when Mikael Mandron’s header beat Lawrence Vigouroux.

However, their lead was shortlived as Michael Doughty pegged the Spitfires back from the penalty spot five minutes later after he had been fouled by home goalkeeper Ryan Clarke.

Both sides had chances to win the game but neither were able to take the initiative in a competitive cup tie.

Swindon made a total of five changes to the starting XI going into the game with Doughty, Lloyd Jones, Luke Norris, Bradley Barry and Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill coming back into the team.

But the first half was hardly straightforward for Luke Williams’ side, who came under pressure from their lowly hosts.

Eastleigh’s best efforts came in the early stages. Luke Coulson was the first of either side to get a shot away, but his low effort was pushed around the post by Vigouroux in the third minute.

Swindon then survived another hairy moment when Yaser Kasim gave the ball straight to James Constable, but the former Oxford United man had his progress halted by skipper Nathan Thompson.

Eastleigh’s main strength came down the left, with Coulson cutting inside onto his stronger right foot, or offloading the ball to Michael Green who was a willing runner from left back.

It nearly paid dividends when Green was able to find the head of Mandron, but he was only able to direct his header off target.

Swindon were then dealt a blow in the 24th minute when Thompson fell awkwardly, then immediately held his hand up while clearly in some discomfort.

The defender limped off the field holding his right hamstring as he was replaced by John Goddard - the Town skipper showing his frustration once back on the bench as he thumped the dugout in anger after his early exit.

The introduction of Goddard saw Swindon revert to a flat back four and they looked much more of a threat after the reshuffle.

The biggest talking point then came in the 27th minute when Doughty hit the crossbar with an inswinging cross from a free-kick just outside the area.

The ball then fell to Goddard who was able to find Norris in the Eastleigh penalty area, only for his header to be denied by a fantastic save from Clarke, although BBC television replays seemed to conclude that the whole of the ball had crossed the goal line.

That chance seemed to give Williams’ side a boost in confidence as they went close on several occasions leading up to the interval.

A sweeping move saw Norris go close again, when Kasim flicked the ball on for Nathan Delfouneso to chase. He then fizzed a ball across goal but the former Gillingham man was unable to get a toe to it.

Despite Town being the stronger team in the last few minutes of the first half, it remained goalless.

Swindon picked up from where they left off after the restart, Delfouneso showing tidy feet to evade several Eastleigh challenges before his right-footed effort was just wide of the post.

Coulson continued to be a pest for Barry down the left as he started the second half brightly for Ronnie Moore’s side.

The former Cardiff City trainee had the beating of Barry early on, who needed Sean Murray to help him out on a few occasions.

On the hour mark, Kasim darted into the box for Town and got a bit of luck along the way, but the Iraqi international was unable to sort his feet out to get a convincing shot away as it was blocked by Connor Essam, Norris then kicked air with the follow-up effort as Eastleigh survived.

Five minutes later, it was disaster for Swindon as Kasim needlessly fouled Jason Taylor, handing the hosts a free-kick out towards the right.

Luke Howells’ delivery was able to find the head of Mandron who nodded his side into the lead with Vigouroux unable to get close as the ball bounced into the net.

But the visitors were then handed an immediate lifeline when a rampaging Doughty was brought down by the Eastleigh goalkeeper.

The QPR man dispatched his penalty with ease as he drove it into the bottom-right corner to equalise with just over 20 minutes still to play.

Coulson and Green combined yet again on the left, with Green’s ball finding Constable but his shot was tame and straight at Vigouroux.

On 77 minutes, Doughty skipped past a defender after a fine run before finding Delfouneso in the box but he wanted too much time as his shot was deflected wide of the mark.

With eight minutes left to play, Swindon were forced to make another change as a cramping Murray was replaced by Jordan Stewart.

Doughty, who had been superb throughout, had another glimpse of goal but his left-footed curler was just wide as his side searched for a late winner.

Yet Town looked the weaker of the two sides in the dying moments of the game when a late corner forced Ormonde-Ottewill to produce a fine goal-line block to keep the score level and ensure Swindon were in the hat for the next round.

The replay will take place on Tuesday, November 15, at the County Ground.