Weston recorded their seventh away victory of the season at Bishop’s Stortford.

BISHOP’S STORTFORD 3

WESTON-S-MARE 4

WESTON put last week’s trouncing firmly behind them as they recorded a win that lifts them to 16th spot in the Vanarama Conference South table.

It is ironic that they have won seven league games on their travels, while being successful in just four at the Woodspring Stadium. Jamie Lucas, on loan from Bristol Rovers, weighed in with a hat-trick which took him 11 minutes either side of half-time.

With Pierce Mitchell out with an ankle injury, Ollie Barnes continued in defence, while Olly Watkins and Kane Ingram were in for Bradley Ash and Jacob Cane, from the side that started against Boreham Wood.

Bishops made a positive start, Weston keeper Luke Purnell forced to concede a couple of corners in the opening minutes from efforts by Bobby-Joe Taylor and Henry Randall.

As Weston got going, home keeper Jake Larkins did well to beat out Lucas’ low effort and then, from the rebound, denied Dayle Grubb.

Weston lost skipper Tom Jordan after 15 minutes with, after a collision of heads, he had a nasty gash over an eye and he also twisted an ankle in a fall. Jamie Edge was pulled back into the defence and Cane came on in midfield.

Bishops took the lead on 28 minutes when Adam Bailey-Dennis thumped a header past Purnell from Sheldon Sellers’ corner.

Poor home defending allowed Lucas space to beat Larkins on 37 minutes from Olly Watkins’ pass and two minutes later, Lucas was given even more space to beat Larkins from another Watkins’ pass. Just before the interval, from Weston’s second corner, Joe McClennan had an effort beaten out by Larkins.

Two minutes into the second half, Lucas completed his hat-trick with a 15-yard effort after Grubb’s effort was not properly cleared. Minutes later, Lucas had the ball in the net again, but was denied by a marginal offside decision.

Jake Llewellyn made a strong run on the left on 54 minutes and crossed for Watkins, who had moved inside, to complete Weston’s tally.

At this stage, Weston looked comfortable and Bishops began to lose their discipline, picking up a string of bookings and giving away many free kicks. However, they made a couple of changes and began to turn the game around.

They pulled a goal back on 75 minutes when Ashley Miller latched on to a free kick to fire past Purnell and substitute Mikel Suarez added the third on 83 minutes from 15 yards to set up a nail-biting last seven minutes and three minutes of added on time, but despite conceding two more corners, Weston held out.

WESTON STATS

Goals: Bishops, Bailey-Dennis (28), Miller (75), Suarez (83). Weston, Lucas (37, 39, 47), Watkins (54).

Shots on target: Bishops 5, Weston 9.

Shots off target: Bishops 4, Weston 2.

Corners: Bishops 7, Weston 6.

Offsides: Bishops 0, Weston 4.

Free kicks conceded: Bishops 13, Weston 7.

Referee: Constantine Hatzdakis (Bromley). Inclined to be over fussy with some decisions and missed several incidents.

Bookings: Bishops, Hayles, Bailey-Dennis, Allen, Merrifield, Lee. Weston, Ingram, Mawford.

Attendance: 315.

Weston squad: Purnell, Barnes (Brown 82), Llewellyn, Edge, Jordan (Cane 17), Fortune, McClennan (Mawford 65), Ingram, Lucas, Grubb, Watkins. Sub (not used): Ash.

ON Saturday, Weston will entertain Havant & Waterlooville who are fifth in the table and will be looking to overturn the 1-0 defeat suffered in Hampshire in November.

In a re-arranged fixture, Bath City will be the visitors on Tuesday (7.45pm) and Weston will be looking to get something from this game, having lost 3-0 at Twerton Park on New Year’s Day.