A WEARY-looking Weston conceded a Blue Square South double to Hampton who lie just one place off the bottom of the table, thanks to a lack-lustre display.

Had the visitors taken some of the chances they created, they could have easily won in a canter.

Manager Craig Laird speaking after the game said: “This is the same squad that has picked up 47 points so far this season, and I can’t explain what has gone wrong. They looked jaded out there today with some abysmal defending, but despite the defeat we still played some attractive football.”

Weston were without defender Martin Slocombe who started a two-match ban for picking up 10 yellow cards, with Nabi Diallo deputising, but with their first attack on six minutes opened the scoring when Jamie Price raced down the right and played in Sahr Kabba who outstripped the Hampton defence and fired under keeper Kirk Ross for his 15th league strike of the season.

Minutes later, Kabba again had the ball in the Hampton net, but was pulled back by Birmingham referee Sarah Garrett for a foul on giant central defender Darren Powell.

After that, Weston seemed to fall away with Hampton taking control with Nathan Collier, David Tarpey, Jamie Simmonds and Charlie Moon firing either wide or over and forcing five first-half corners.

However, just before the half-time whistle, when Weston failed to clear the fifth corner, Tarpey equalised with a shot on the turn.

Three minutes into the second half, home keeper Lloyd Irish did well to beat out another Tarpey effort, but the visitors struck again on 53 minutes when Tarpey crossed for Reece Jones to beat Irish from close range.

There was a nasty incident minutes later when Tarpey finished a speedy run by crashing into the metal advertisements behind the home goal. For a time he laid still and received attention from both sports therapists, but after lengthy treatment he carried on.

Weston brought on veteran Marc McGregor for Diallo and with his first touch headed narrowly over the Hampton crossbar.

Despite forcing seven second-half corners, Weston failed to get an equaliser. Going into stoppage time, from their last corner, Kane Ingram had the ball in the Hampton net, only to be yellow carded for a handling offence.