The Wembley trail started again for this season with the early visit of Welton Rovers to Tatnam. The two sides met at the same stage a year ago at Welton and Poole came away with a 1-0 win. Carl Poore made his first appearance of the season and again Russell Cook started up front with Charlie Austin. Lamin Dibba's knock from Tuesday night kept him out.

This was a cracking cup tie. From the start Welton made their intentions clear. Although playing just one up front they were quick on the break and got players forward in support at every opportunity. They had come to play and win the game. The opening fifteen minutes was all Welton as they passed the ball neatly from back to front. This was not going to be an easy game for the Wessex Champions.

On 17 minutes Cook found himself one on one with the keeper and when the ball eventually dropped for him, his shot was easily gathered by the visiting goalie. Two minutes later and another ball over the top saw Cook race away again and this time he coolly placed the ball under the advancing keeper to give Poole a lead against the run of play.

The goal seemed to wake Poole up and on 25 minutes they got a second. Taffy Richardson broke up the play superbly in midfield and then chipped a great ball through to Charlie Austin. As he sped into the box the keeper clearly brought him down deliberately but the referee should have allowed play to continue as Cook passed the ball into an empty net anyway. However, play was brought back and a penalty awarded. The keeper also escaped with a yellow card so it looked as though Poole had been penalised for the incident. Justice was served however when Austin tucked the penalty away and Poole led 2-0.

This was Poole's best period of the game. Two goals up and the good football flowed. The confidence was back. On 41 minutes Austin produced a superb run down the left and his low cross was met by Cook who just flicked it past the far post with the keeper beaten.

Half time: 2-0.

Within a minute of the second half starting Cook picked up a knock and rather than risk him, Steve Smith came on to replace him. Welton had shown in the first half what they were capable of and right from the start of the second period they got in amongst the Poole players and started to dominate proceedings again. They really looked very good and a goal looked on the cards. Poole just hadn't come out of the dressing room.

On 48 minutes Welton broke and with keeper Jones beaten a shot came back off Simon Browne's hand. A penalty was awarded and the Poole skipper yellow carded. Penalty dispatched - 2-1 and Poole were in trouble. Welton were now far quicker and sharper around all areas of the pitch and Poole just couldn't find their rhythm again. An equaliser looked a certainty and on 70 minutes it arrived. A freekick into the Poole box saw the defence static. A free header was blocked but again no Poole player reacted to the rebound and one of three Welton players could have thumped it in. It was Brain who got to the ball and did just that.

At this stage Poole were heading out of the competition - there only looked to be one winner. A minute after the restart and Welton broke down the left and with the Poole defence stretched the Welton striker placed his shot just wide of the right hand post. Changed were needed and Sturgess came off the bench to replace Trefor Smith.

One thing that Poole never lack is a fight to the death and slowly they began to get back into the game. On 78 minutes Austin (head and shoulders the best player on the pitch) held off the challenges of two players before firing just wide. An Austin cross was also met by Steve Smith but again the goal would not come.

Ross Lloyd replaced Bailey-Pearce on 81 minutes and the game was edging towards a replay at Welton in midweek. However, this pulsating cup tie had one final twist and it was a goal worthy of winning the game. A long clearance was flicked on superbly by Austin and Steve Smith waited for the ball to bounce before deftly lobbing the stranded keeper from twenty yards out.

A great game of football (despite the very poor performance from the referee on which it is probably not worth commenting). Welton will have travelled home not understanding how they hadn't got at least a draw from this game. But it is Poole who now host Barnstaple Town in the next round in two weeks.