Match Report by Rob Hammett
In the Good Friday fixture at Chippenham Town, Weston were defeated by two goals to nil at Hardenhuish Park.
Ahead of the Vanarama National League South meeting, Scott Bartlett, managing The Seagulls for the 300th time, made two changes to the side that beat Tonbridge Angels 3-0 in midweek as Dylan Kadji came in for Jordan Bastin, and Keiran Thomas replaced Will Dawes, who was unable to play against his former club due to injury.
Weston began the game kicking up Chippenham’s slope, and Sam Pearson proved to be a real threat in the early stages. Firstly, the young Welshman galloped down the right flank before crossing for Reuben Reid, but his goalbound header was cleared. Then moments later, Kadji threaded the ball through to Pearson but his shot was saved by Will Henry.
Weston were enjoying most of the play going forward, as Louis Britton laid the ball off to leading marksman Luke Coulson, but his curling effort from the edge of the area was held by Henry.
Reid was close again when he glanced his header just wide from a cross from James Dodd, who had started the game at left-back.
With half-time approaching, The Seagulls had their best chance of the entire game as Pearson played in Coulson, and his delightful flick found Kadji, but from just inside the area, he fired over the bar.
HALF-TIME: Chippenham Town 0-0 Weston-super-Mare AFC
At the start of the second-half, Reid was denied yet again by Henry following Coulson’s free-kick, before Chippenham went close when Leone Gravata hit a fierce shot just over Max Harris’ bar after Weston had struggled to clear their lines.
The Bluebirds were now starting to enjoy more of the play and they took the lead just after the hour mark. Chippenham were awarded a free-kick around 30 yards out, and Luke Haines’ spectacular effort found the bottom corner of the net.
Chippenham were close to making it two as Tom Mehew and Harlee Vozza combined well, before Harris made a solid stop from the latter.
The Seagulls continued to attack and pushed men forward. Sam Avery sent in a good cross that found his defensive partner Emlyn Lewis, but his downward header was collected by Henry.
Although Weston pressed and threw bodies forward, they were unable to create as many chances as they had done in the first-half.
The desperation to equalise saw Chippenham break in injury-time. A long diagonal ball forwards to the right flank saw The Seagulls exposed, and ended up with the ball being crossed in and fired into the net by Luke Spokes in the third minute of six minutes injury-time.
It wasn’t Weston’s day today, but The Seagulls return to action on Easter Monday against Truro City at the Optima Stadium, looking for a positive result in their aims to return to the top seven ahead of an exciting final week of the season.
FULL-TIME: Chippenham Town 2-0 Weston-super-Mare AFC (Haines 62′, Spokes 90’+3)
Weston: Harris; Thomas (Soule 86′), E. Lewis, Avery, Dodd; Pearson, Kadji (Seberry 67′), Jagger Cane, Coulson; Reid, Britton (Waite 67′)
Unused substitutes: Jenkins, B. Kempster
Attendance: 828
Man of the Match: Jacob Jagger Cane. On his 400th appearance for The Seagulls, it was another workmanlike performance from the tireless midfield man, breaking up dangerous Chippenham attacks and helping Weston get forward.
