Weston moved up to sixth place, just one place outside the play-off positions.

WESTON-S-MARE 2

BASINGSTOKE TOWN 1

WITH their 12th win of the Blue Square South season, Weston climbed to sixth in the table, just one place outside a play-off spot.

But they made hard work of overcoming a Basingstoke side reduced to 10 men for the entire second half.

Before the game, Basingstoke were a place below Weston with a match in hand and were two points worse off.

Fielding the same side that won their previous two games, Weston dominated from the start and it took them just three minutes to take the lead when Jamie Price freed Sahr Kabba on the right. The little man outpaced the defence, cut in and beat keeper Chay Morris on his near post for his ninth strike of the season.

Unfortunately, Kabba had to be substituted early in the second half after twice having to receive attention after strong challenges from a physical side.

Keeping pressure up, Kane Ingram curled an effort from wide on the left just past Morris’ far post with the keeper beaten and minutes later, Nat Pepperell had a goal-bound header palmed away by the keeper.

As Basingstoke came into the game, they equalised on 30 minutes when, from their first corner, taken by Matt Warner, Angus MacDonald, on loan from Football League Championship Reading, beat Lloyd Irish with a header.

Just before the interval, Basingstoke’s David Pratt was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Ben Cleverley and in the same incident Basingstoke’s out injured keeper Ashley Bayes was sent out of the technical area and Pepperell was shown a yellow card.

Basingstoke packed their defence in the second half, making life difficult for Weston and at times the visitors had the better of the exchanges, forcing consecutive corners on 57 minutes and Warner hit the outside of a post.

However, Weston’s winner came on 59 minutes when Ingram’s corner evaded everyone in a crowded six-yard box and nestled in the far corner of the Basingstoke net.

After that the game deteriorated with referee Brett Huxtable issuing a string of yellow cards.

WESTON STATS

Goals: Weston, Kabba (3), Ingram (59). Basingstoke, MacDonald (30).

Shots on target: Weston 4, Basingstoke 3.

Shots off target: Weston 4, Basingstoke 4.

Corners: Weston 4, Basingstoke 4.

Offsides: Weston 5, Basingstoke 3.

Free kicks conceded: Weston 7, Basingstoke 10.

Referee: Brett Huxtable (Torrington). Excellent game.

Bookings: Weston, Pepperell, Price, Ingram, Diallo. Basingstoke, MacDonald, Smart, Daly, Pratt (red), Bayes ordered from dugout.

Attendance: 304.

Weston squad: Irish, Price, Slocombe, Cleverley, Villis, Laird, Ingram (Diallo 82), Kirk, Kabba (Young 52), Trowbridge, Pepperell. Subs (not used): McGregor, Duharty.

WESTON’S credentials as play-off contenders will be severely tested on Saturday when they entertain second in the table Welling United, who have lost just five games.

The home side may have Dayle Grubb available for selection, as the dressing on his broken finger comes off this week.