FAIRFORD Town twice came from behind to take the derby spoils over Shrivenham and reach the second round of the FA Vase for the first time since 2003 on Saturday, Jonathan Leighfield.

Connor Thompson’s late penalty was the first time Fairford were ahead in the match as Shrivvy twice took the lead, but the visitors deservedly booked their place in the next round, according to their manager.

Nick Stanley had put Gareth Davies’ men in front early on with a 30-yard rocket, but Dan Bailey squared things up before the half-time whistle went.

Stanley saw a deflected effort put the hosts ahead shortly after the restart before Harvey Scholes equalised and Thompson converted from the penalty spot to turn the game on its head.

Fairford manager Jody Bevan felt his side should have been out of sight long before Shrivenham went in front for the second time, but was delighted to see his side progress regardless.

Bevan said: “I felt we fully deserved the win. I thought we were really the better side throughout the match, even though we had to come from behind twice.

“We stuck to our principles, got the equaliser first time and I just said at half-time: ‘keep doing what you’re doing, and it will come’.

“They scored another goal that deflected in from outside the box, and at that point you’re wondering if it’s going to be your day.

“But credit to the lads, they stuck with it, got the equaliser and if any team was going to win it, it was going to be us.

“Connor Thompson buried the penalty to win it and I’m over the moon to be in the next round.”

Fairford are now on a five-game winning streak and Bevan revealed that the club is just a good place to be at the moment.

He said: “It’s a combination of league and cups, admittedly, but hey, winning is a good habit to be in, so we’ll take that all day long.

“We’ve got a great bunch of lads, and that’s not just the first team. That includes the reserves and everyone associated.

“Everyone has bought in to what we want to do – our reserve game was called off, so I called on a couple of those guys to sit on the bench, but they all bought into it.

“The others came to watch, and it’s just a really good, happy place to be at the moment, Fairford Town Football Club.”