FOOTBALL: Taunton Town beat Concord Rangers in Buildbase FA Trophy third round qualifying

TWO goals in three minutes stunned Concord Rangers and sent Taunton Town into the first round proper of the Buildbase FA Vase, earning the Peacocks £5,000 in the process.

After Matt Wright gave Town an early lead and home goalkeeper Lloyd Irish saved a penalty, goals from Steve Cawley and Harry Lee put the visitors - who play two divisions above their hosts - into the lead.

But Ross Staley and Matt Buse struck in rapid succession to turn the tie on its head, giving the underdogs passage into the next round.

Staley came into Leigh Robinson's side for the suspended Ryan Brett, and it was the hosts who made a lightning start.

With just two minutes played, Wright flicked on Ben Palmer's long throw, and Dan Sullivan headed towards goal, only for visiting keeper Louis Wells to claw the ball away.

Not that the hosts had to wait long for an opener, as Pierce Mitchell burst forward in the fifth minute, and after his shot was parried by Wells, Ross Staley turned it across goal for Wright to fire home.

Staley saw another shot saved, but from there the away side began to show their class - Femi Akinwande was a potent threat with his power and pace, and after he clattered Irish's right-hand post with an effort from outside the box, he was brought down by Palmer to win a penalty on 15 minutes.

But Cawley saw his spot-kick turned away brilliantly by Irish, diving down to his left, to preserve the hosts' lead.

Yet Concord remained well on top, with Akinwande a constant menace and Khale Da Costa having Palmer on toast down the Taunton left, and they were deservedly level on 29 minutes.

Ben Greenhalgh collected the ball down the left, and his cross found Cawley in the box, the Concord skipper making up for his penalty miss with a cool finish.

For all of the visitors' superiority in midfield and attack, their defence was vulnerable, and the Peacocks continued to create chances - Sullivan firing narrowly wide and Wright heading against the post from Sullivan's cross.

The sides went in level at the break, and that's how it stayed until the 62nd minute, when a rare moment of quality saw Lee power the ball into the net from 30 yards out, giving Irish no chance.

The hosts threw on striker Omar Simpson, and Wright saw a header cleared off the line, but it was another bolt from the blue that drew them level.

A corner was only half-cleared, and Staley slammed it into the top corner from the edge of the box in the 73rd minute.

Just three minutes later the remarkable turnaround was completed, as Buse's shot took a deflection that seemed to distract Wells, as the keeper spilled the ball through his legs and it trickled into the net.

There was still time for a Concord leveller, and they would have had it were it not for Irish brilliantly denying substitute Adam Topley when the striker was through one-on-one, and Ollie Chamberlain cleared a goalbound effort shortly afterwards.

The away side couldn't muster another clear-cut chance, and the Peacocks held firm to make the next round.

They return to league action this Tuesday, with an away match at promotion rivals Bristol Manor Farm (ko 7.45pm).

Taunton Town: Lloyd Irish, Pierce Mitchell, Ben Palmer (Omar Simpson 65), Shane White, Brett Trowbridge, Ben Adelsbury, Matt Buse, Ollie Chamberlain, Matt Wright, Dan Sullivan, Ross Staley (Chris McGrath 86).
Subs not used: Les Afful, Tom Stone, Michael Meaker.
Attendance: 479.