Weston defeated Bedford Town 3-2 to reach the first round proper of the FA Trophy, but they needed extra time to do so.

WESTON-S-MARE 3

BEDFORD TOWN 2

WESTON reached the first round proper of the FA Trophy, but had to come from behind and endure 30 minutes of extra time against their Southern League Division 1 Central visitors.

They now face Farnborough at home on December 13, in the first round. Ironically, Farnborough will provide the opposition on Tuesday next, December 9, in the Vanarama Conference South.

From the side that drew at Bedford, skipper Tom Jordan was missing, serving a one-game suspension for picking up five bookings, Aaron Brown taking over in the heart of the defence. Kane Ingram, back from suspension, was on the bench, with Jamie Edge instead of Sam Teale, who has left the club.

In a forgettable first-half, defences dominated and it took 22 minutes before Weston’s first attempt when Brown fired over. Then, Dayle Grubb, skipper for the evening, finished a strong run by firing narrowly across goal and Jake Harris had the ball cleared off his toe as he was about to fire into an empty net.

Bedford, who were missing leading scorer Tom Liversedge, never threatened, only Tom Rawlings going close with a header from a free kick and Jeff Woodward forcing their only corner.

Seconds into the second half, the visitors mounted a penetrating run down the right and home keeper Luke Purnell pulled off a superb save to deny Woodward at the expense of a corner.

The deadlock was eventually broken on 80 minutes when Greg Ling finished a strong run on the left by beating Purnell with a shot from just inside the penalty.

Despite their dominance, Weston looked to be going out of the competition until the 90th minute when substitute Syd Camper, on for Harris, equalised from Alec Fiddes’ low cross to take the game into extra time.

The first period was scoreless, but on the 112th minute Grubb gave Weston the lead, firing low past keeper Garry Malone from close range. Minutes later, Jake Mawford was tripped and Grubb added the third from the penalty spot.

To their credit, Bedford never gave up and substitute Charlie Cook pulled a goal back from a corner a minute from time.

WESTON STATS

Goals: Weston, Camper (90), Grubb (112, 115 penalty). Bedford, Ling (80), Cook (119).

Shots on target: Weston 6, Bedford 4.

Shots off target: Weston 8, Bedford 4.

Corners: Weston 9, Bedford 4.

Offsides: Weston 2, Bedford 2.

Free kicks conceded: Weston 6, Bedford 15.

Referee: Derek Eaton (Tewkesbury). Good game, easy to control.

Bookings: Weston, none. Bedford, Smeathers, Wilkinson.

Attendance: 128.

Weston squad: Purnell, Mitchell, Llewellyn (Ingram 81), Cane, Brown, Fortune, Fiddes, Mawford, Harris (Camper 79), Grubb, McClennan (Ash 79). Subs (not used): Bath, Edge.