Forest Green Rovers 2 Carlisle United 2: Nathan Thomas's double saw Carlisle United draw their first game under Chris Beech in the FA Cup second round at Forest Green.

It will need a replay to separate the sides after the Blues came from behind but then saw their lead wiped out.

It was an entertaining cup tie at the New Lawn as Beech, taking charge for the first time as head coach, saw his side remain in Monday's third round draw.

Aaron Collins headed League Two's second-placed side into a 10th-minute lead after a mistake by keeper Adam Collin.

Thomas levelled with a fine strike before half-time and then slotted the Blues ahead on 76 minutes before Matty Stevens scored a minute later for Mark Cooper's side.

Home striker Collins nodded home the opener from close range after Collin failed to reach an airborne headed clearance from Gethin Jones as the ball came back off the bar.

Cooper's side made more of the early running and threatened down the right, Stevens heading a cross narrowly wide.

Olufela Olomola shot wide for United and Mike Jones mis-hit an Olomola cross before Collin kept the deficit to one with a fine save fom Liam Shephard.

Thomas then fired them level with a fine right-footed shot after Jack Iredale won the ball back in the home half.

Collin, moments later, pushed away a dangerous cross and Thomas cleared a Stevens header off the line.

After the break, Jack Aitchison shot wide and Collin made a sharp save, Stevens also shooting wide for the hosts.

Chances were scarce for Carlisle but after Hope replaced Ryan Loft they broke to take the lead, Canice Carroll doing well to feed Hope whose cross was swept in by Thomas arriving at the back post.

The lead, though, lasted only a minute as United failed to clear a free-kick and Stevens was credited with the final touch as the ball deflected past Collin.

Jack Iredale limped off late on, Jon Mellish taking his place, as sub Junior Mondal and Stevens failed to convert crosses from the dangerous Joseph Mills.

Stefan Scougall had a goal disallowed with the ball ruled to have gone out of play before he headed home, with Aaron Hayden, who had a solid game, heading clear a number of crosses and Shephard shooting wide in added time for the hosts.

Beech was without Jarrad Branthwaite for his first game in charge with the young centre-half absent with a throat infection, meaning a recall for Byron Webster at centre-half along with Hayden in place of Webster. Scougall came in for Harry McKirdy.

Forest Green: Wollacott, Bernard (Grubb 85), Rawson, Kitching, J Mills, Adams, Winchester, Shephard, Aitchison (Mondal 65), Collins, Stevens. Not used: Thomas, Taylor, McGinley, Dawson, Morton.

United: Collin, G Jones, Iredale (Mellish 83), Webster, Hayden, M Jones, Carroll, Scougall, Thomas, Olomola (McKirdy 75), Loft (Hope 58). Not used: Gray, Mellish, Bridge, Knight-Percival, Sagaf.

Ref: Trevor Kettle.