Match report written by Rob Hammett, photography by Mark Stainer
Weston returned to the top of Vanarama National League South following their 2-0 victory at Bath City in the Somerset derby.
The Seagulls made the short trip to Twerton Park and made three changes to the side that drew with Weymouth in midweek, as Emlyn Lewis, Dylan Kadji and Reuben Reid all returned to the starting eleven.
The Romans started the game kicking down the slope and they started fairly strongly. Jack Batten headed just wide before Micah Anthony forced Max Harris, playing his 100th game for Weston, into a good save.
Max Harris playing his 100th game for Weston – Photo by Mark Stainer
The opening period had been a pretty quiet affair, often typical of a local derby as clear-cut opportunities to score were few and far between.
As a fairly even first-half looked destined to end goalless, The Seagulls took a sensational lead in injury-time. Jason Pope won a header on the halfway-line, with the ball dropping to Sam Pearson. The young Welshman then played the ball through to Luke Coulson, who drove forward and unselfishly slipped the ball back to the former Bath man Pearson, who calmly slotted the ball home at the near post.
Sam Pearson celebrates with team mates after scoring the first goal of the game – Photo by Mark Stainer
HALF-TIME: Bath City 0-1 Weston-super-Mare AFC
Both sides came out for the second-half and it continued to be a quiet affair, that was until Scott Bartlett’s side doubled their lead after 51 minutes.
Weston earned a free-kick after Bath were penalised for a hefty 50/50 challenge around 30 yards from Harvey Wiles-Richards’ goal. Coulson was once again the architect as he dinked the ball towards Lewis in the penalty area, but in Jerry Lawrence’s desperation to clear the danger, he sent the ball past his own goalkeeper. Lewis ran over to the Weston fans behind the goal and celebrated with them ecstatically.
Emlyn Lewis celebrates with the Weston fans ecstatically – Photo by Mark Stainer
Minutes later, Keiran Thomas looked to score at the Bath End of the ground for the second season running, but his 20-yard effort was touched behind for a corner
As The Romans tried to respond by pushing forward to try and get back into the game, gaps in their backline inevitably began to appear. Pearson galloped down the wing and sent in an inviting ball that was snuffed out by the Bath defence before substitute Nick McCootie could connect, otherwise a third goal would have been a certainty.
James Dodd’s fierce drive stung the palms of Wiles-Richards, before he then did well to save McCootie’s effort from the rebound.
The Seagulls ended the game strongly and were never seriously threatened in what was a composed performance from Weston, as Harris collected his 34th clean-sheet in his century of appearances for the club.
FULL-TIME: Bath City 0-2 Weston-super-Mare AFC (Pearson 45+1′, Lawrence og 51′)
Weston: Harris; Thomas, Lewis, Avery, Pope; Kadji (McCootie 75′), Dodd, Chamberlain; Coulson, Pearson; Reid (Bastin 86′).
Subs not used: Absalom, Kirkman, Rose.
Man of the Match: Emlyn Lewis. Another courageous and formidable performance from the captain, marshalling his defence superbly and keeping Bath firmly at bay, whilst also being a threat going forward.
Emlyn Lewis had another courageous and formidable performance and was named Man of the Match – Photo by Mark Stainer
Attendance: 1,644
