Harland & Wolff Welders 2, Ballymena United 2

Boyce, who joined this week from Coleraine, headed home with four minutes left to earn United a replay, just as it looked as though their cup campaign was going to end at the first hurdle at Tillysburn Park.

United suffered an early setback when they fell behind after just five minutes.

Debutant keeper Aaron Shanahan did brilliantly to turn Matty Burrows’ attempted lob behind but United made a mess of clearing Mark Magennis’ resultant corner and former Glentoran defender Philip Simpson fired home from close range.

United almost made an instant response when Allan Jenkins’ low shot almost caught out keeper Lee Windrum but it lacked the pace to get past the former Distillery stopper.

Burrows was proving a handful and the ex-Glentoran striker’s low shot took a deflection on its way through to Shanahan.

United began to gain a foothold in the game and left-back Aaron Stewart fizzed a low centre across the face of goal but there were no takers, as the Sky Blues struggled to mount a meaningful attack.

United survived another scare when Josh Cahoon’s flicked header from a Magennis free kick went past the post with Shanahan sprawling anxiously across his goal.

Ballymena came close to grabbing an equaliser a minute before the break when Davy Munster’s header from Alan Teggart’s corner was pawed off the goal-line by keeper Windrum.

The Welders finished the first half on the attack, with Burrows curling an effort narrowly over.

United made a bright start after the break and should have levelled inside two minutes.

Keeper Windrum made a brilliant save to keep out Munster’s header from a Teggart corner and defender Johnny Taylor could somehow only screw the rebound wide of the post with the goal gaping.

The Welders were a constant threat on the break and Scott Davidson cut inside from the right before curling a shot agonisingly wide of Shanahan’s goal.

Ballymena restored parity on 61 minutes when Jim Ervin’s deep cross was headed home at the back post by the unfortunate Simpson, under pressure from the in-rushing Tony Kane.

Welders responded with Scott Davidson going on a jinking run past several United defenders but he could only shoot at Shanahan.

Ballymena carved out a great opening when Kane played in Boyce but the sub lifted his effort over the crossbar.

Disaster struck for Ballymena with 12 minutes left when the east Belfast side went back in front, Burrows converting from close range from a cross from right-back Gareth Beattie.

Just when it looked as though the Sky Blues were facing elimination, Boyce scored with four minutes left with a glancing header from a pinpoint cross from central defender David Munster.

United had chances to win it in the closing stages with Alan Teggart forcing a save from Windrum, while David Cushley headed wide in stoppage time.

The replay will take place at the Showgrounds on Tuesday, January 21.

H&W Welders: Windrum, Beattie, Harris, Deans, McMurray, Simpson, Dickson, Magennis, Burrows, Cahoon, Davidson. Subs (Not used): Middleton, Armstrong, Devine, Barr, Dougherty.

Ballymena United: Shanahan, Kane, Munster, Taylor, Stewart, Taggart (sub Ervin 42), Surgenor (sub Boyce 46), Thompson (sub McLellan 82), Teggart, Jenkins, Cushley. Subs (not used): Davidson, Lowry.

Referee: Ross Dunlop (Carrickfergus).