Weston’s FA Trophy run was ended with a home defeat against Farnborough.

WESTON-S-MARE 1

FARNBOROUGH 3

WESTON’S interest in this season’s FA Trophy was ended by Farnborough who gained revenge for conceding a Vanarama Conference South double at the Woodspring Stadium earlier in the week.

The Seagulls were missing Clayton Fortune and Jake Llewellyn and the defence looked fragile against a determined opposition.

However, they were given the best of starts, forcing a corner after five minutes. Dayle Grubb’s flag kick was only cleared as far as Jake Mawford, whose low effort from distance was again knocked away by the defence. Mawford regained possession and beat Farnborough keeper Dillon Barnes with a strong 25-yard low effort that took a deflection.

The lead lasted a bare five minutes when Dan Bennett, on his last appearance for the club, was given time and space by a hesitant defence to beat Luke Purnell with a deflected effort.

As Weston tried to get back, loan signing from Exeter City, Matt Jay, was put through a couple of times, but Barnes came off his line each time to make crucial blocks.

With his third goal against Weston inside a week, Duncan Culley gave the visitors the lead on 25 minutes, when more poor defending allowed him in to fire past Purnell.

Bennett made sure of the win three minutes into the second half, cutting in from the right and scoring with a shot that slipped through Purnell’s arms.

After that, the home attack failed to break down the Farnborough defence and had to be content with four fruitless corners.

WESTON STATS

Goals: Weston, Mawford (6). Farnborough, Bennett (10, 48), Culley (25).

Shots on target: Weston 4, Farnborough 6.

Shots off target: Weston 6, Farnborough 6.

Corners: Weston 8, Farnborough 5.

Offsides: Weston 2, Farnborough 2.

Free kicks conceded: Weston 7, Farnborough 11

Referee: Robert Massey-Ellis (Coventry). Good game, easy to handle.

Bookings: Weston, Mawford. Farnborough, Treacher, Richens, Brice.

Attendance: 146.

Weston squad: Purnell, Mitchell, Fiddes (McClennan 58), Edge, Jordan, Brown, Mawford, Jay, Ash (Ingram 84), Grubb, Watkins. Subs (not used): Buxton, Cane, Camper.

ON Saturday, Weston travel to Ebbsfleet in London, looking for another Vanarama Conference South double, having won 3-2 when the sides met in September.