Dayle Grubb’s late penalty helped Weston-super-Mare AFC stage a remarkable comeback from two-goals down to beat Woking 3-2 and secure a place in the fourth round of the FA Trophy tonight (Tuesday).
Grubb stepped up to score from the spot in the fourth minute of stoppage time to send the Seagulls to the fourth round for the first time since the 2003/04 season.
Rhys Browne’s double looked to have put The Cardinals out of sight with a 2-0 lead at half-time.
But back came Weston with Rex Mannings getting one back with a low finish and Grubb’s deflected finish looked to have sent the game to penalty before the captain’s heroics to help the hosts record their seventh straight win and equal their best run in the competition.
Scott Bartlett made four changes from last Tuesday’s 4-0 win against Worthing with Keiran Thomas, Marlon Jackson, James Dodd and Rex Mannings all named in the starting 11.
Alex Fletcher, Reuben Reid and Jason Pope were named on the bench while Robbie Wilmott was cup-tied having featured for Woking earlier in the competition.
And it was the visitors who scored the first goal of the night after 13 minutes.
Josh Casey won the ball back for Woking and he fed it to Browne, who showed great composure before rolling the ball into the net.
Browne then fired wide before Woking scored a second in the 34th minute.
Padriag Amond teed up Browne to smash the ball home beyond Max Harris and into the back of the net.
Jordan Bastin nearly grabbed one back for the Seagulls just before half-time but Will Jääskeläinen, son of Jussi, kept the ball out with his feet as Woking went into half-time 2-0 up.
But within a few minutes after the break Weston halved the scores with a superb goal.
James Dodd found Mannings with a lovely ball, he cut inside before firing a low strike from around 18 yards past Jääskeläinen.
The visitors nearly resorted their two-goal advantage through Moss, after good work by Browne, but Harris did well to tip his effort over and from the following corner the on loan Cheltenham Town goalkeeper pulled off a fine save at his near post to deny Luke Wilkinson.
Amond then struck the post with a free-kick from 25-yards-out before Grubb levelled the scores in the 81st minute. Substitute Opi Edwards tricky run down the right saw him pull the ball back into the path of Grubb and the captain slotted home with a deflected finish from 12-yards.
And in the fourth minute of four added on James Morton won a penalty after his header came back off a Woking arm and Grubb stepped up to score to make it seven straight wins.
Weston AFC: Harris, Bastin, Thomas, Humphries, Avery, Grubb (C), Jagger-Cane, (Fletcher 80), Dodd, Morton, Jackson (Reid 80), Mannings (Edwards 66)
Attendance: 326
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