Match Report by Liam Drury
A late Luke Coulson penalty helped Weston to a third win of pre-season, beating Southern League Premier opponents Merthyr Town 2-1.
Emlyn Lewis captained the side for the first time, while new signing Dylan Kadji was included amongst the substitutes.
Luke Coulson had a shot inside the first few minutes pushed away by Will Fuller after being released by Emlyn, before Keiran Thomas headed a Coulson free-kick wide at the back post and Trialist A flashed a shot over the crossbar from 25 yards when Coulson’s corner had been cleared in his direction.
Callum Ryan-Phillips sidefooted wide at the back post from an Alex John free-kick in Merthyr’s first attack, before the visitors came close on two occasions when a low cross almost found the foot of Ricardo Rees on the counter and Rees managed to round Kelland Absalom shortly after but was unable to pick out a Martyrs team-mate when forced wide.
The Seagulls were to break the deadlock not long before the half-hour mark when Ollie Chamberlain worked some space down the right and managed to find Jacob Jagger Cane. The midfielder laid a pass off for Thomas racing into the box, who got away from his marker and drove a shot in at Fuller’s near post for his second goal of pre-season.
Merthyr had one chance before the break when a quick attack down the right saw Rees play a reverse pass into Kane Simpson on the edge of the area, but he could only roll his attempt into the arms of Absalom.
Half-Time: Weston-super-Mare AFC 1 – 0 Merthyr Town
The second period started off slowly with both sides looking to win the midfield battle, Cole Jarvis firing a shot into the side-netting from inside the area after racing onto a long ball from Aneurin Livermore.
The Martyrs were to level when the ball came for Jarvis 25 yards out, his shot from a distance taking a slight nick off of a Seagulls defender and wrong-footing Absalom to find the back of the net.
Jarvis then hit the base of the post a few minutes later when latching onto Frazer Thomas’ pass 18 yards out from goal, before Jacob Jagger Cane headed a Coulson corner narrowly wide at the other end and Tom Handley fired wide from 25 yards for the visitors.
Weston were to get back ahead when substitute Jordan Bastin was tripped by Abu Sama inside the area, referee Craig Scriven pointing to the spot. Coulson stepped up to the spot, and sent Fuller the wrong way with a calm penalty to make the score 2-1.
Scott Bartlett’s side went looking for more goals to wrap up the game, Bailey Kempster firing a shot narrowly across goal following some good play between Trialist B, Ryan Crawford & Coulson. Kadji had a low shot from 25 yards held by Fuller, before the keeper was forced to tip over a 25-yard free-kick from Coulson in the dying minutes.
Full-Time: Weston-super-Mare AFC 2 – 1 Merthyr Town (Thomas 29, Coulson pen 78; Jarvis 64)
Weston XI: Absalom, Thomas, Pope (Avery 72), Jagger Cane (Trialist B 78), Dodd (Kempster 72), Reid (Crawford 78), Waite (Bastin 72), Coulson, Emlyn Lewis (C), Trialist A (Morgan Lewis HT), Chamberlain (Kadji HT).
Unused substitute: Croft.
Attendance: 257.
MOTM: Emlyn Lewis. Another commanding display from the centre-half, his front-foot approach starting many attacks for the Seagulls.
