Summer signings Dan Martin and Callum Wood started in Scott Bartlett’s first XI of the summer, while Louis Britton led the line as the No.9.
During the opening exchanges, both sides took a while to find their stride on a hot evening during Weston’s opening friendly.
Sam Pearson went close inside the opening 20 minutes when he was put through by Will Dawes and finished low across keeper Mackenzie Walsh, however the linesman’s flag was raised for offside.
The opening goal was to come through a smart free-kick routine, Dan Martin and James Dodd playing a one-two 30 yards out. The former whipped a delivery into the box, and Thornbury defender Dan Parry turned into his own net via his head in his attempt to clear.
Tom Black had a good chance for Thornbury when he got put through less than 30 seconds after Weston’s opener, his shot towards the near post held low down by Max Harris.
The second goal was to follow once again through a free-kick, Martin’s pin-point delivery onto the head of captain Sam Avery towards the back post. The centre-back’s knockdown was perfect for James Waite, who hammered a left-footed volley into the top corner from 18 yards.
Will Dawes went close with a left-footed shot across goal when cutting inside from the right, as Weston continued to ramp up the pressure on their hosts.
A third was to follow shortly before half-time when Dawes burst down the right and clipped a cross back for Pearson 12 yards out, who expertly guided a volley into the far corner with the inside of his foot for a first goal of pre-season.
Half-Time: Thornbury Town 0 – 3 Weston-super-Mare AFC
Britton came close during the opening stages of the second half when his header from a Martin cross was knocked away by a defender for a corner, Wood then going on to head narrowly wide from substitute Luke Coulson’s corner.
The hosts were to pull a goal back when an inswinging corner found an unmarked Will Fowler towards the back post, who stretched a foot out and managed to poke over the line from a few yards out.
Jagger Cane had a powerful shot from 25 yards held by Welsh, before Dawes saw two attempts held by the Thornbury No.1 and then dragged a shot wide from the edge of the box. Britton then went close again when he turned on the edge of the box and got a shot away on the half-turn, his half-volley striking the underside of the bar and bouncing away.
The Seagulls No.9 then saw a header from six yards tipped aside by Welsh following Jake Hicks’ toe-poke being blocked, before Hicks headed wide a Coulson free-kick.
The final goal of the night was to come from Brandon Bak, who raced onto a Dawes through ball and held off his man before firing a powerful shot across Welsh and into the far corner for his first goal of the pre-season.
The last chances of the game were to fall Weston’s way, Britton seeing a header at the back post from Martin’s cross tipped aside before Welsh made another outstanding save, this time pushing a Hicks volley from Coulson’s free-kick over the bar.
The opening friendly saw the Seagulls put together some intricate moves and create some brilliant chances, as we now look ahead to Saturday’s first home friendly as Exeter City come to town, 1PM kick-off.
Full-Time: Thornbury Town 1-4 Weston-super-Mare AFC (Fowler 60′; Parry og 23′, Waite 29′, Pearson 41′, Bak 80′)
Attendance: 387
Weston XI: Harris (Glover 46′), Wood (Trialist B 58′), Avery (c) (Lewis 46′), Dodd (Jagger Cane 46′), Britton, Waite (Bak 58′), Pearson (Coulson 46′), Dawes, Jenkins (Hicks 46′), Trialist A (Jenkins 66′), Martin
MOTM: Louis Britton. A composed performance up front from the No.9 acting as a focal point for the side, his link-up and hold-up play bringing others into the game. Did everything right to get himself a goal, bar some excellent saves from the opposition keeper.
