Cheltenham Town and Brighton and Hove Albion have to do it all again at the Withdean Stadium in 10 days time for a place in the FA Cup second round.
The home side came so close to edging out the Seagulls for what would have been a morale-boosting result until the visitors struck on the 90-minute mark to earn a replay.
Steven Gillespie's strike with 13 minutes remaining looked to have crowned a much-improved second half by Keith Downing's injury-hit side, but substitute Doug Loft struck on 90 minutes to confirm a second trip to the South coast for Cheltenham in seven days on Tuesday, November 20 (7.45pm kick-off).
It was a forgettable first half in which Brighton dominated play, but the Robins looked a much better outfit after the break and were desperately unlucky not to have held on in the end.
Robins' boss Downing made two changes to the side that recorded a point against Yeovil on Tuesday night.
Gillespie trained Thursday and was pronounced fit to play alongside Paul Connor in attack. Andy Lindegaard was the latest player to join the injured list and sat this one out with a hamstring problem.
Adam Connolly came in for Charlton Athletic loanee Dean Sinclair, who is ineligible for this competition and partnered David Bird in central midfield while Damian Spencer moved out to the left flank.
Albion started brightly and warmed Shane Higgs' hands early on with a couple of long rangers, while Connolly provided the Robins' first effort of the afternoon when he rifled a 25-yarder that flew past Michel Kuipers' right post.
Higgs needed to be at his best to deny Jake Robinson ten minutes later with Brigh ton in the ascendancy.
Their passing and movement were crisper than the home side's, and while Cheltenham could not be faulted for their attitude and application, the visitors retained possession well and looked the greater threat in the opening half-hour.
It was a forgettable first 45 minutes, with clear chances at a premium for both sides.
Spencer flashed a shot on the turn wide from the edge of the penalty area, but Kuipers' only save of the first period was to prevent his colleague Adam El-Abd's sliced clearance dropping into his net.
But Cheltenham crafted a pair of decent chances within minutes of the resumption. First Bird drove upfield and released Gillespie, but with Kuipers committed, the striker couldn't touch the ball past the goalkeeper to create a chance. But seconds later, Vincent hoisted a cross from the right that almost caught out the former Dutch Marine. Spencer was sharp on to the loose ball, but elected to shoot from a tight angle and wasted the chance.
There was an early blow for Cheltenham when Paul Connor was withdrawn in the early exchanges with an eye injury after an innocuous challenge on the left touchline.
Sosthene Yao was pressed into action on the right of midfield so Spencer was pushed alongside Gillespie as Cheltenham enjoyed their best spell of the contest without really examining Kuipers.
Brighton went close around the hour mark when Nicky Forster headed a Savage delivery from the left a foot over the bar.
Then Higgs needed to claw away a downward El-Abd header as Brighton began to get a foothold in the second period.
And Brighton created their best chance of the contest with 20 minutes remaining when Forster caught Alan Wright in possession down the right. The striker made the byline and cut the ball back but his partner Savage fluffed his shot from ten yards, which looked set to come back off the left upright before Jerry Gill hooked it clear to safety.
But with 77 minutes on the clock, the home side moved to take the lead with a well-worked set piece.
Gillespie was impeded by El-Abd on the left touchline and earned a free-kick.
Bird whipped it in to the far post, where Gillespie had arrived unopposed to slot the ball low under Kuipers' frame to hand his side a slender advantage in the closing stages.
The Liverpudlian saw a header taken by the Dutch goalkeeper moments later with Cheltenham keeping the pressure on.
At the other end, Elder lifted a volley over the bar as Brighton laid seige in the final few minutes but it looked as if Cheltenham could cling on to their narrow lead.
But in the final minute of the alloted 90, Yao surrendered possession inside the Brighton half and the lanky figure of Savage streaked down the left flank under pressure from Connolly. The striker crossed low, and it was cleared by Wright but only as far as substitute Doug Loft, who crashed the ball past Higgs into the bottom right corner to confirm a replay at the Withdean in 10 days time.
CHELTENHAM TOWN: Higgs; Gill (c), Caines, Duff, Wright; Vincent (Reid 85), Bird, Connolly, Spencer; Connor (Yao 52), Gillespie. Subs not used: Brown (Gk), Gallinagh, Wylde.
BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION: Kuipers; Whing, Elphick (Butters 65), El-Abd, Richards; Robinson (Elder 81), Fraser (Loft 84), Hammond (c), Cox; Forester, Savage. Subs not used: Sullivan (Gk), Reid.
REFEREE: F. Graham (Essex)
ATTENDANCE: 2,984 (596 from Brighton)