TAUNTON Town head of football Rob Dray described the lead-up to the Peacocks’ Somerset Premier Cup quarter-final with Weston-super-Mare on Tuesday as “shambolic”.

Originally scheduled for the previous Tuesday (February 18) - but rained off - the tie was moved to February 25, but a pitch inspection at Weston’s Optima Stadium deemed the surface there unplayable.

So on Monday the venue was switched to Keynsham Town’s AJN Stadium, which has a 3G pitch but necessitated a longer trip up the M5 and around Bristol for Taunton and their loyal band of supporters.

Two second-half goals from James Waite decided the match in Weston’s favour, and although Dray had few complaints with the result, he was less impressed with the organisation around the fixture.

“I feel we were treated disrespectfully by the Somerset FA,” he told the County Gazette.

“It was disrespectful to our fans, who had to make a 75-mile round trip on a horrible, cold night.

“It was shambolic... the communication was terrible.”

The other quarter-final scheduled for last night, between Wells City and Bridgwater Town, was rained off, while Welton Rovers and Yeovil Town are due to play this coming Tuesday.

Hengrove Athletic awaited the winner of the Weston v Taunton match in the semi-finals, and in the end it was the Seagulls who prevailed.

They had won their last three league games and named a strong-looking side for this encounter.

Dray handed starts to Bridgwater & Taunton College youngsters Noah Coppin and Callum Watts, and the Peacocks began the match strongly.

Watts saw an effort deflected wide, and the corner dropped for Ollie Chamberlain, whose volley was improbably kept out by Weston goalkeeper Luke Purnell - the start of a very busy first half for the Weston captain.

Purnell was in action again soon after, denying Dan Demkiv after good work by Chamberlain and Coppin, before Jamie Short was inches away from the opener - his strike coming back off the bar.

The Seagulls grew into the game and started creating chances of their own, with Sam Hendy forcing the onrushing Lloyd Irish into a save, and then heading straight at the keeper a couple of minutes later.

It remained goalless at the break, and chances continued to come and go at both ends upon the restart - with both goalkeepers having to show their quality between the posts.

Lewis Hall picked out Coppin, who drew another save from Purnell, before Hendy shot straight at Irish.

The deadlock was finally broken with just over 20 minutes to go, as Waite grabbed his first of the evening.

Demkiv was denied once again by Purnell, the Seagulls went right up the other end and Waite scored the rebound after Irish had saved the initial effort from Tom Llewellyn.

Waite did not have to wait long for his second, as a ball over the top made its way to Llewellyn, who had managed to get in behind the Town rearguard, and he pulled it back for Waite to convert from close range on 72 minutes.

Watts blasted over the top as Taunton sought a way back into the match, but it was not to be.

Isaac Pearce almost added a third for Weston late on, but Irish tipped his well-struck shot over the bar, and 2-0 it remained.

Taunton Town: Lloyd Irish, Jamie Short, Ross Staley, Callum Watts, Nick Grimes, Jamie Price, Ollie Chamberlain, Lewis Hall, Dan Demkiv, Noah Coppin, Luke Spokes. Subs not used: Matt Villis, Michael Meaker.

Regarding the match, Dray said: “I thought our 11 lads out there were outstanding.

“Jamie Price came in and was an absolute warrior, and Dan Demkiv played well again for us.

“If it wasn’t for their goalkeeper Luke Purnell we could have been four up at half-time.

“James Waite is a superb player, and he was the difference.”