Dartford had substitute Ryan Hayes and defender Rory McAuley to thank for keeping them in the FA Trophy on Saturday.

The Darts looked down and out as they trailed FC Halifax 2-0 at half-time. But Hayes came off the bench to score within four minutes of the restart and McAuley levelled it up in the 89th minute for Tony Burman's side.

It was Hayes that provided the inspiration for the Darts. Again left out of the starting line-up as Burman tried a 4-1-3-2 formation, they quickly reverted to their usual 4-4-2 with Hayes at the fore. Despite lacking quality at times, his intent was enough to whip up the smaller than usual Princes Park crowd and also raise the performance levels of his team-mates.

Too many Darts players were off the pace in the first half. Harry Crawford and Christian Doidge were willing runners up front but the service was lacking and skipper Elliot Bradbrook failed to have his usual influence.

The Darts trailed in the 12th minute when a needless free-kick was given away by Callum Driver. The home defence failed to attack the resulting cross from the right wing and it was turned in by the unmarked Richard Peniket from close range.

It could have easily been 2-0 on 21 minutes but Scott Boden's volley from Danny Schofield's cross came crashing back off the crossbar with keeper Jason Brown well beaten.

Dartford's only serious attempt came nine minutes before the break when Crawford's volley went straight to keeper Matty Glennon.

The tie looked over for Dartford in the 44th minute when Adam Smith worked his way down the left wing and crossed for Matty Pearson, whose header was too powerful for Brown.

Hayes came on at the break to replace the ineffective Peter Sweeney and within four minutes his right-wing corner went straight in at the near post to immediately cut Halifax's lead in half.

Thereafter it was McAuley who had Dartford's best attempts - mainly in the last five minutes. The Darts went for broke as they pushed men forward and Halifax took up the challenge to present an open finale. But Halifax's bold approach was to backfire.

Hayes' 87th-minute corner was met at the far post by McAuley and tipped over by Glennon. From the resulting corner, McAuley stabbed the ball wide. But it was third time lucky a minute later when the ball was flicked on and McAuley turned it home on the volley to make it 2-2.

Both sides had chances to win it, Darts having an effort disallowed for offside, in the five minutes of stoppage time. But neither team could find the winner and they will do it all again on Tuesday in the replay for a place in the last eight.

Dartford: Brown, Burns, McAuley, Collier, Driver, Mitchel-King, Sweeney, E Bradbrook, Noble, Doidge, Crawford. Subs: Cornhill, Hayes, Daley, Harris, Ibrahim.