Radcliffe will face a tricky replay at Runcorn Town after neither team was able to break the deadlock in a cagey 0-0 draw at the Neuven Stadium – a trip to Newcastle Benfield waiting in the next round for the winners.

The visitors went close early on, Craig Cairns seeing his shot come back off the inside of the post after a defence-splitting pass.

Boro’s first chance came 20 minutes in, Sam Billington showing great feet to go past two defenders before feeding Ben Wharton, who flashed his first-time shot wide.

But Runcorn were on top in the first half and Dave Forbes dragged his shot wide and Marcus James’ audacious chip from 30 yards out was brilliantly tipped over by the back-tracking Ollie Martin.

At the start of the second half Wharton tried to catch keeper Adam Reid out with a chip of his own, but he just cleared the bar.

A flashpoint, prompted by Kai Wallace’s lunge into a challenge with Boro’s Kingsley Williams, sparked the game back into life and Runcorn again went close within moments, Callum Grogan heading onto his own bar from Owen Dursley’s cross, and Martin saving Paul McManus’ free kick.

Boro nearly snatched a late winner as Elliot Rokka managed to create space down the right and flashed a dangerous ball across the face of goal, but no team-mates could get on the end of it.

Manager Jon Macken said it had been a disappointing performance compounded by a first-half ankle injury to Danny Mitchley, who is expected to be out for several weeks.