Weston moved back up to fifth place after their latest Blue Square South victory.

DORCHESTER TOWN 1

WESTON-S-MARE 3

IN a rehearsal for next week’s FA Cup second qualifying round, Weston came out on top at the Avenue Stadium as they moved back up to fifth in the Blue Square South League.

Played in a continual downpour, it was difficult to identify the home players who wore black number on a black and white striped shirts in a game where referee Ian Parson of Salisbury handed out nine yellow cards and awarded 32 free kicks.

Manager Craig Laird mixed the attack up again with Ben Hunt and Chris Young up front while Matt Villis was back in the defence.

Weston began to take control early on, despite Dorchester forcing two corners. However, Weston broke the deadlock on 18 minutes when Young was clattered wide on the right and Dayle Grubb’s diagonal free kick was scrambled to the net by Hunt.

Later, Kane Ingram, who seemed to have acres of space wide on the left, fired narrowly across goal and then forced a full-length save from keeper Nick Jordan, while Dorchester’s only effort on target for the half was skipper Jamie Gleeson’s effort on 22 minutes that was easily claimed by Lloyd Irish.

Minutes into the second half, Nabi Diablo, who along with Grubb dominated the midfield, was just off target with a fierce drive and on 53 minutes Weston forced their only corner of the game. Special mention for Nat Pepperell who won everything in the air and gave the home defence a torrid time.

Weston struck again on 56 minutes when, from Jamie Laird’s throw on the left, Ingram got his reward by beating Jordan from close range and three minutes later, from another Grubb free kick, Jamie Price fired across Jordan into the far top corner of the home net.

After that, as the Dorchester players became frustrated there were some ugly clashes with Price and Irish being scythed down in separate incidents and then a Weston player was plainly seen to be punched, but all three culprits were shown only yellow cards by Mr Parson.

Two minutes from time, Dorchester got a consolation when Ryan Moss headed in a free kick.

WESTON STATS

Goals: Dorchester, Moss (87). Weston, Hunt (18), Ingram (56), Price (59).

Shots on target: Dorchester 2, Weston 6.

Shots off target: Dorchester 4, Weston 3.

Corners: Dorchester 4, Weston 1.

Offsides: Dorchester 1.

Free kicks conceded: Dorchester 17, Weston 15.

Referee: Ian Parson (Salisbury). The stats tell it all.

Bookings: Dorchester, Critchell, Walker, Moss, Dickinson, Devlin. Weston, Price, Slocombe, Laird, Diallo.

Attendance: 367.

Weston squad: Irish, Price, Slocombe, Grubb, Villis, Jamie Laird, Ingram, Diallo, Hunt (Kabba 82), Pepperell. Subs (not used): Martin, Mackay, Kirk, Huxley.