WESTON-S-MARE 3 LEWES 2 - WESTON'S manager Andy Gurney's foray into the transfer market last week brought instant success as striker Dave Gilroy returned for a loan stint with the club and scored all three goals.

WESTON-S-MARE 3

LEWES 2

WESTON'S manager Andy Gurney's foray into the transfer market last week brought instant success as striker Dave Gilroy returned for a loan stint with the club and scored all three goals as they recorded their third win of the Blue Square South season.

This was Weston's first win over Lewes in nine meetings, previously they had picked up a solitary point, and that was courtesy of an own goal. The win lifts Weston three places up the table to 17th.

Gilroy, who left Weston for Bath City and then joined Newport County, is back in Weston colours for an initial one month's loan period, while Ashan Holgate went the other way, joining the Exiles. In another move, Josh Llewellyn joined Weymouth and Josh Klein-Davies, who recently left Woodspring Park to join the Terras came back.

Ironically, Gilroy was the last player to score a hat-trick for Weston, when he scored three against Stafford Rangers in the Premier Division of the Southern League in April 2005.

Weston made a bright start with Jack Compton using his pace down the left to test the visiting defence, forcing a save from keeper Rikki Banks early on, then Clayton Fortune fired over when Ben Wells' free kick was not properly cleared and they came close on 11 minutes when Banks just beat Gilroy to another Compton low cross.

As Lewes, without a win from their previous 12 games, but have drawn seven, got into the game, Scott Manning tested home keeper Kevin Sawyer with a deep cross, but from the clearance, Scott Bartlett burst down the right, beat his marker and his cross found Gilroy who scored from six yards. Minutes later, Banks made a full-length save to deny another Wells' free kick at the expense of the first of Weston's seven corners.

Lewes came close on 23 minutes when skipper Chris Breach sent an unmarked header inches over the home crossbar and in a period of sustained pressure Fred Foreman forced their first corner with a shot on the turn and they were rewarded on 35 minutes when Walder had an effort blocked by Sawyer in a one-on-one but Foreman scored from the rebound. Minutes later Jack Walder had an effort beaten out by Sawyer.

Before the interval Lewes should have scored again when Foreman put Walder through, but he miskicked with only Sawyer to beat.

Two minutes into the second half Weston regained the lead when Ben Joyce burst through with a diagonal run and fed Gilroy who netted from eight yards and the striker added his third on 53 minutes when he got on the end of Compton's low cross.

To their credit, Lewes never gave up and Tom Parrinello had to clear off his line from Andy Pearson, but Pearson had his revenge two minutes from time when he headed past Sawyer from Ross Sutton's cross.

WESTON STATS

Goals: Weston, Gilroy (12, 47, 53). Lewes, Foreman (35), Pearson (88).

Shots on target: Weston 6, Lewes 6.

Shots off target: Weston 4, Lewes 4.

Corners: Weston 7, Lewes 5.

Offsides: Weston 6, Lewes 3.

Free kicks conceded: Weston 9, Lewes 15.

Referee: Chris Miller (Ipplepen). Excellent game.

Bookings: Weston, Harris, Evans. Lewes, Walder, Chamberlain.

Attendance: 214.

Weston squad: Sawyer, Green, Parrinello, Harris, Rand, Fortune (Evans 63), Bartlett, Wells, Gilroy, Joyce, Compton (Grubb 73). Subs (not used): Klein-Davies, Mullings, Brown.

ON Saturday, Weston travel to Maidenhead (3pm) and on Monday evening (7.45pm), they travel to Worcester City who are now a point below them in the table.

On Wednesday, November 11, Weston travel to Frome Town in the second round of the Somerset Professional Cup, having received a bye in the first round.