Seagulls crash out of the Trophy

AFTER forcing a replay with a last-minute equaliser on Saturday, Weston were bundled out of the FA Trophy in a replay in South London filled with controversy.

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WESTON were on the wrong end of some strange refereeing decisions as they bowed out of the FA Trophy at a rain-sodden Carshalton in South London.

They went into the game without goalkeeper Kevin Sawyer, who was taken ill over the weekend, Luke Purnell taking over, the only change from Saturday.

They fell behind on nine minutes when Tom Evans brought down Jones Awuah 25 yards from goal and Carshalton's Kenny Beaney put a superb free kick out of reach of Purnell.

Weston were denied an equaliser on 15 minutes when Evans' long throw evaded everyone and ended up in the net, but referee Tim Robinson disallowed the score as the throw went in directly. The Weston players protested that goalkeeper Nick Hamann got a hand to the ball, but in vain.

Weston were awarded a free kick on 23 minutes, but Jack Compton's weak shot was cleared to Carshalton danger man Richard Jolly in acres of space and he sprinted 40 yards before beating Purnell.

As the home players were celebrating, an argument broke out between Compton and skipper Adi Harris which ended with blows being exchanged and the referee immediately produced a red card to Harris.

After that Weston were struggling as the home side dominated, and they scored again on 64 minutes through another superb free kick from almost on the touchline.

To their credit, Weston tried as best they could and grabbed a consolation on 70 minutes when Clayton Fortune turned in Compton's corner kick. Minutes later, Weston were denied a clear-cut penalty when a home defender handled.

Admittedly, the referee was unsighted, but his assistant, who was a Surrey County linesman, had a perfect view, but refused to act. Before the game, in the boardroom, the FA assessor was mystified as to why such inexperienced officials were used in the game, and afterwards he expressed the opinion that the disallowed goal was good in his opinion.

ON Saturday, Weston take the long trip to Chelmsford in Essex for a first meeting between the sides this season and Weston should include one or two new faces as manager Andy Gurney tries to replace Dave Gilroy and Ben Joyce.

On Tuesday evening, 7.45pm, Weston entertain Hampton and Richmond, managed by former West Ham and England player Alan Devonshire.

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WHO would want to be a football manager? Just when Weston manager Andy Gurney got a side together that beat second in the Blue Square South, Dover Athletic, he lost both the on-loan strike partnership.

Dave Gilroy, scorer of seven goals in six league games, opted to return to Newport County, even though the Exiles would have allowed him to stay longer, and Torquay United, who had originally loaned out Ben Joyce until the end of the year, called him back and then sent him to Forest Green Rovers. As well as that, Ben Cleverley, recently signed from Tiverton Town was cup-tied and unable to play in this FA Trophy game.

With no time to recruit new faces, Mr Gurney went with Darren Mullings and Josh Klein-Davis as a strike partnership and Under-19s captain Dayle Grubb was given the full 90 minutes.

Carshalton, riding high in the Ryman Premier League, made a strong start with the speedy Richard Jolly bursting through on two minutes, but was denied by a full-length save by Kevin Sawyer.

Weston forced the first of five first-half corners on five minutes and Jack Compton, who completed a successful week's trial at Scottish Premier Falkirk and has been offered a two-year deal commencing in the New Year, fired narrowly across goal.

At the other end minutes later Jolly burst through again, but fired badly across goal from a good position, but the visitors did better on 19 minutes when the diminutive Rashid Kamara tricked his way down the left, crossed to Barry Stevens who laid the ball back to skipper David Ray who curled his shot round Sawyer.

Weston's best chances came on 35 minutes when Compton had a strong effort beaten away by keeper Nick Hamann and just before the break, Klein-Davis hit a post.

Minutes into the second half, Klein-Davis had an effort beaten out by Hamann and Mullings was just over from Grubb's corner. At the other end, Rob Watkins' effort from just inside the Weston half was just over Sawyer's crossbar.

With less than 10 minutes remaining, Weston brought on recent signing Callum Hart who went into defence with Clayton Fortune going into attack and the switch worked as Fortune rescued the game by scoring in a scramble from Scott Bartlett's throw.