Weston progressed to the next round of the FA Cup with victory over Hook Norton.

HOOK NORTON 1,

WESTON-SUPER-MARE 2

WESTON advanced to the third qualifying round of the FA Cup, thanks to this win over their Hellenic League Division 1 West hosts.

All the excitement and goals came in the final 18 minutes of an entertaining game with the hosts being denied a possible replay when a late shot came back off an upright

Weston were without Tsvetan Filipov (ill) and Mitchell Page (unavailable), while Clayton Fortune, Ben Withey, Bradley Ash, Tristan Plummer and Jason Pope were on the bench along with keeper Dan Jackson.

Defences dominated an uneventful first-half, with Weston dominating midfield and forcing eight corners. However, Norton created two good chances with Marcus Green having an effort on target and Weston keeper Luke Purnell cutting out a dangerous cross from Luc Thornton.

Weston upped their game in the second half with Jake Mawford testing home keeper Kurt Fox, as did Jacob Cane who also fired narrowly wide.

The Seagulls opened the scoring 79 minutes when, from their 12th corner, a defender clearly handled over his head in a crowded six-yard area and after consulting with his assistant referee Michael D’Aguilar awarded a penalty which Ash, who had come on for Joe McClennan, fired past Fox.

In a lightening attack three minutes later which caught the Weston defence unawares, Norton equalised with Joe Eyre beating Purnell with a superb 25-yard low effort.

Weston’s winner came on 80 minutes when Jamie Edge’s free kick was headed on by Ollie Barnes for Cane’s effort to be parried by Fox only as far as Scott Wilson who scored from a couple of feet.

Straight from the restart Norton were denied a score when Dan Watkin’s shot came back off the foot of a post.

WESTON STATS

Goals: Norton, Eyre (82). Weston, Ash (79, penalty), Wilson (85).

Shots on target: Norton 2, Weston 5.

Shots off target: Norton 3, Weston 7.

Corners: Norton 2, Weston 13.

Offsides: Norton 1, Weston 4.

Free kicks conceded: Norton 8, Weston 17.

Referee: Michael D’Aguilar (Birmingham), poor game, made some puzzling decisions.

Bookings: Weston, Mawford, Pope.

Attendance: 523.

Weston squad: Purnell, Keary, Barnes, Edge, Cane, Byrne, McClennan (Ash 63), Mawford, Wilson (Fortune 90+4), Grubb (Pope 46), Llewellyn. Subs (not used): Withey, Plummer, Jackson.

ON Saturday, Weston are back in Vanarama National South League action with the long trip to Margate. The party will travel down on Friday afternoon, staying overnight near Ramsgate.