Northampton manager Jon Brady and Cambridge counterpart Mark Bonner offered very different views after an entertaining 2-2 draw in round one of the FA Cup.

The Cobblers twice led against their higher-ranked opponents at Sixfields as Kion Etete and then Paul Lewis both struck in the first half.

But Sam Smith levelled once with a header before Conor Masterson ensured a replay at the Abbey Stadium when smashing in a loose ball midway through the second half.

“It’s probably a result no team wants with the number of games we have but it is what it is and we’re in the draw which is important,” said Bonner.

“We’ll have to produce a better performance in the replay because they caused us too many problems with direct passes and the game became too stretched.

“We worked our socks off and ran some big distances but we had to because the game was so disconnected and we didn’t keep the ball well enough.

“They didn’t have to work hard for their first goal and then we got on top of the game in the first half and enjoyed some good moments and that’s when we needed to get ahead.

“But their second goal comes at the end of a good spell for us and they haven’t done anything to score it – it’s just really poor from us.

“The end of the game was horrible. It was really stretched with very little quality and we played a part in that.

“I didn’t think it was a great game and I didn’t think we were very good but we got a result that keeps us alive in the competition.”

Brady saw things very differently though.

He said: “It was a really good game of football and I think any neutral who came today would have found it very exciting.

“At times it was probably a bit too open for how they wanted and how we wanted and it became a bit end-to-end and it almost ended up like a game of park football.

“Both teams went at it and it was end-to-end stuff and we feel disappointed not to win it but I think they will probably feel the same.

“But both teams really went for it and it was a proper FA Cup tie and now we move onto the next game.

“I am disappointed with the referee but what I don’t want to do is take the shine off the game by moaning about the referee because it was a fantastic game of football and both teams really went toe-to-toe.”