Weston beat Yeovil 1-0 to win the Somerset Premier Cup for the first time in their 63-year history.

YEOVIL TOWN 0

WESTON-S-MARE 1

WESTON have won the Somerset Premier Cup for the first time in their 63-year history with a stunning win over a strong Yeovil squad containing eight players with Football League experience.

Speaking after the game Weston’s delighted chairman Mr Paul Bliss said: “This win has put the icing on the cake as far as the club is concerned. I was elated when we finished in a comfortable 12th in the Blue Square South, but this eclipses everything.

“Right from the start the squad showed determination to do well at a higher standard for all of them and I take my hat off to our manager Craig Laird and his assistant John Haile who have worked so hard to achieve what they did.”

Weston went on the attack in the first minute, Kane Ingram bursting through on goal, only for home keeper Gareth Stewart to come off his line to block the shot with his legs. At the other end seven minutes later Yeovil forced their first corner when Lewis Clarke had a shot tipped over by man of the match Lloyd Irish.

In Weston’s most dangerous attack of the first half, Nat Pepperell had a goal-bound shot tipped over by Stewart at full stretch, but again at the other end on 31 minutes, Yeovil’s Luke Ayling hit the base of a post with a rasping 20-yard effort and before the interval Yeovil forced another corner.

From Weston’s second corner on 46 minutes, skipper Craig Rand headed just over from Martin Slocombe’s flag kick and minutes later Sahr Kabba was put clear of the home defence, but fired wide as Stewart came off his line.

This let-off stung Yeovil into action and on 61 minutes Irish made a double block to deny Ayling and Billy Gibson with his legs and a minute later, got down well to claim Gritton’s bullet header from close range. Then Slocombe cleared off the goal-line with Irish beaten for once.

However, it all changed on 72 minutes when Weston were awarded a free kick wide on the left. Before the kick was taken, there was some jostling which resulted in a yellow card for Yeovil’s Adam Virgo.

Ingram curled the ball into the penalty area and Daniel Fitsimons, trying to clear, only kicked the ball high into the air and when it fell on the edge of the six-yard box, Ben Kirk was on hand to rifle the ball low into the far corner of Stewart’s net.

Before the game could be restarted, there was a melee involving several players and resulted in yellow cards for Brett Trowbridge and Yeovil’s Ed Upson.

At the end of 90 minutes referee Richard Corp indicated there would be eight minutes of stoppage time, and six minutes into that, Rand was shown a straight red card for some remarks made to the official, but despite desperate pressure by Yeovil, forcing two corners, Weston held out for an historic win.

WESTON STATS

Goal: Weston, Kirk (72).

Shots on target: Yeovil 6, Weston 3.

Shots off target: Yeovil 5, Weston 5.

Corners: Yeovil 5, Weston 2.

Offsides: Yeovil 4, Weston 4.

Free kicks conceded: Yeovil 16, Weston 7.

Referee: Richard Corpe. Poor game, made some puzzling decisions and towards the end lost control.

Bookings: Yeovil, Virgo, Upson. Weston, Trowbridge, Rand (red).

Attendance: 703.

Weston squad: Irish, Price, Slocombe, Rand, J Laird, Porter, Ingram, Kirk, Sabba (Duharty 82), Trowbridge, Pepperell. Subs (not used): C Laird, Mawford, Grubb.