A goal in each half saw Weston defeated 2 – 0 on the road against their counterparts Tonbridge Angels.

Three changes were made from our recent game against Chippenham, Nick McCootie, Jordan Bastin & Keiran Thomas all coming into the starting XI. Reuben Reid and Ollie Chamberlain both dropped out of the squad through injury, while Bailey Kempster & Morgan Lewis took spots on the bench after returning from loan. Academy forward Harvey Ayers was included in the matchday 16.

The Seagulls started the better side when Jordan Bastin and James Dodd both worked Matt Rowley in and around the Tonbridge area following neat buildup, before Charlie Pegrum dragged a shot across the face of goal from an angle after being played in over the top.

Dodd then went close again, this time seeing his strike from 25 yards pushed over the bar by Rowley at full stretch. 

It was now Tonbridge’s turn to attack forward, Pegrum first seeing a volley from a Max Harris punch deflect wide from 18 yards and Sean Shields then seeing a sliced strike from 25 yards held by the keeper. Shields then saw Harris push a shot from an angle out for a corner, before Jamie Fielding headed Shields’ resultant corner-kick wide of the target.

The hosts were to break the deadlock when Pegrum managed to muscle his way through a couple of challenges down the Tonbridge right and break into the box, his cut-back being swept in off the post by Shields from 12 yards, the Angels skippr wheeling away in celebration.

Harris was called into a double save not long after, first beating away Harry Ottaway’s strike from 25 yards and then getting back up to his feet to deny Pegrum’s header from 12 yards with his knee.

Thomas put an attempt narrowly wide from inside the area following Luke Coulson’s corner-kick, before the defender drove over from 20 yards after being set up by Bastin. Harris was then called into one final save of the half to push away a driven Shields free-kick.

Half-Time: Tonbridge Angels 1 – 0 Weston-super-Mare AFC

In the second period, Garrett Kelly curled over for Tonbridge from 18 yards a couple of minutes after getting the second period underway, before Coulson saw a shot from 25 yards blocked and McCootie curled wide on the half-turn after being fed the ball on the edge of the box.

The Angels grabbed a second when centre-back Ronny Nelson got across his man at the front post to meet a Shields free-kick, and powered in a header to increase his side’s advantage.

Trevan Robinson fired wide for Tonbridge following a good solo run, before Rowley was alert to hold a low cross-shot from Seagulls substitute Harvey Greenslade moments after coming on.

Crossley Lema saw a shot at the near post pushed away by Harris, before Nazir Bakrin and Robinson both saw headers go wide of the target from inside the area when attacking crosses inside the dying moments.

Weston now turn their attention towards next Saturday’s clash against St Albans City, in our annual ‘Community Pay What You Want’ Day, with proceeds being shared between Weston Hospicecare and Seagulls In The Community.

Full-Time: Tonbridge Angels 2 – 0 Weston-super-Mare AFC (Shields 25, Nelson 70)

Weston XI: Harris, Thomas, Bastin (Kempster 90+1), Avery, Jagger Cane, Dodd, Pearson (Ayers 90+1), Coulson (Kadji 78), Araoye (M Lewis 78), E Lewis (C), McCootie (Greenslade 78).

Attendance: 832.

MOTM: James Dodd. A composed performance from James in the middle, keen to get his foot on the ball and looking to feed the forward players further up the pitch when the opportunity presented itself.