Match Report by Rob Hammett, Photography by Ade Threasher
In Weston’s final home game of 2024, The Seagulls were beaten by a goal to nil by Eastbourne Borough.
There were two changes to the starting line-up from last Saturday’s game with Enfield Town, as Ollie Chamberlain and Dylan Kadji replaced Harvey Greenslade and James Dodd, who was named on the bench.
Weston’s first real opportunity to score came after a quarter of an hour, and it fell to top-scorer Luke Coulson. Keiran Thomas burst down the right wing and cut the ball back for Coulson, whose shot from around 18 yards was well saved by Joe Wright in the visiting goal.
Sadly for Weston, Eastbourne took the lead in their first meaningful attack a few minutes later, as Michael Klass’ cross from the right was headed home by Kai Innocent from around eight yards out.
Weston fought hard to get back on level terms before the break. Coulson’s set-piece deliveries were wicked all afternoon, particularly in the strong and swirling wind, and one ball into the area was headed just wide by Sam Avery.
HALF-TIME: Weston-super-Mare AFC 0-1 Eastbourne Borough
The Seagulls were close to a second-half equaliser when Coulson’s corner from the right was headed goalwards by Thomas, but Wright made a save on the line, before Bristol City loanee Raphael Araoye was denied in a similar scenario.
Substitutes James Dodd and Nick McCootie were soon in the thick of the action after being brought on, Dodd passed to McCootie, whose shot was touched goalwards by Sam Pearson but it hit the post from close-range, although the linesman’s flag was up anyway.
The Seagulls kept plugging away as Eastbourne were seemingly happy to sit in and defend, but their cause wasn’t helped when Camron Gbadebo received two yellow cards within the space of ten minutes, the second for a pull-back on a Weston forward as The Seagulls broke forward yet again.
Coulson dinked a ball over the top towards McCootie but his first-time volley was just wide.
In the final minute of the game there was a bizarre incident as goalkeeper Wright was penalised for time-wasting. From the indirect free-kick the ball was touched to McCootie but his fierce, low drive was deflected behind for yet another corner, which was once again dealt with well by the Eastbourne rearguard.
It was a good performance from Weston, who will consider themselves unlucky to have been beaten. The Seagulls now travel to Truro City on Boxing Day in their final game of a successful 2024.
FULL-TIME: Weston-super-Mare AFC 0-1 Eastbourne Borough (Innocent 20′)
Weston: Harris; Thomas (Bastin 75′), Lewis, Avery, Araoye; Kadji (Dodd 75′), Jagger Cane; Chamberlain, Pearson, Coulson; Reid (McCootie 75′)
Subs not used: Absalom, Bak
Man of the Match: Emlyn Lewis. An absolute rock at the back, as the club captain made a number of crunching tackles in another typical no-nonsense performance.
Attendance: 870
