ACCRINGTON Stanley live to fight another day in the FA Trophy after a last-gasp equaliser salvaged a 2-2 draw with Carshalton Athletic.

But the Reds needed three minutes of stoppage time and a disputed refereeing decision to force a replay and extend their unbeaten run to 13 matches.

Without the suspended Gary Roberts and Michael Welch, boss John Coleman was forced to make two changes to his side, with David Brown and Andy Tretton coming in.

It was a very slow start for Coleman's side, with keeper Rob Elliot forced into action early, denying Michael Johnson and Luke Fontana in the opening stages.

However, it wasn't long before the Conference South strugglers were ahead when they were awarded a dubious corner in the eighth minute. Johnson's delivery from the left found the head of midfielder Tchakounte Armel, whose effort diverted off the crossbar and past a despairing Tretton who was standing on the line.

The scoreline was by no means harsh on a Stanley side that had barely got out of first gear. But inevitably, the shock of going behind provoked an improvement from the Reds, who levelled just before the half hour mark.

Ian Craney received the ball on the left-hand edge of the box and hammered the ball past Adam Federici into the bottom right hand corner of the goal.

It was the midfielder's second goal in as many games, and inspired Stanley to take charge of the game.

Eight minutes from half time Romuald Boco beat two defenders down the left before unselfishly squaring to Brown who saw his effort blocked.

The second period mirrored the first, with the home side starting brightest.

The game was certainly more open though, and despite Craney and substitute Andy Mangan both forcing saves from Federici Carshalton continued to impress, with winger Mark Marshall particularly impressive.

It seemed that one more goal would win it, and Carshalton took pole position nine minutes from the end when striker Craig Dundas was brought down in the box by Elliot but the advantage was played and Marshall's finish was as deft as his acrobatic celebration to make it 2-1.

And the Robins might have wrapped it up moments later when Fontana was put through but was brilliantly denied by an out stretched Elliot.

Stanley poured forward, but looked as if their unbeaten run would come to an abrupt end until the third minute off added time when Ian Craney blasted well wide. The referee pulled play back, showing Carshalton's Daniel Nwanze a second yellow card for ungentlemanly conduct and awarded the Reds a free kick. Federici only parried Peter Cavanagh's curling effort and Paul Mullin reacted quickest to power a header home and complete a dramatic finale.

There was barely time for the home side to restart as the referee blew for full time almost immediately and there were ugly scenes at the final whistle as the home fans vented their frustration at the officials.

The two sides will meet again in a replay on Tuesday but Coleman admitted his side had been lucky.

He said: "Rearrange this popular phrase: out jail of got.

"We were poor today, started poorly, got a foothold in the game then bossed the match for 20 minutes.

"I think the lads thought it'd be a stroll in the second half. If you had offered me another game a minute from time, I would've bitten your hand off."