Josh Salmon was able to be named for the first time after featuring as ‘Trialist B’ during the opening three friendlies, while Jason Pope got his first start since suffering an injury last campaign.
It was a promising start for the Seagulls, the defence being able to keep Portishead’s forward line at arm’s length while also being calm in possession. Luke Coulson saw a shot from an angle pushed wide by former Seagull keeper Luke Purnell, while Will Dawes and Salmon both had attempts blocked by the home defence.
The Posset were to grab the game’s opening goal when Mitch Osmond’s corner into the box landed on Ethan Feltham’s head six yards out, and he managed to direct his downward effort into the back of the net past Glover for 1 – 0.
A second was soon to follow when David Thorne’s free-kick into the mixer was headed clear twice by Weston defenders, but the ball squirmed it’s way onto Feltham’s foot 18 yards out, allowing him to get a shot away on the half-turn and finish past Glover for 2 – 0.
A third was to come before the interval when a loose ball saw Glover contest with Feltham for the ball, the goalkeper allegedly catching the home striker as he seeked to claim the ball inside the area under pressure. Captain Kyle Egan stepped up to the spot, and dispatched his penalty past Glover for 3 – 0.
Half-Time: Portishead Town 3 – 0 Weston-super-Mare AFC
Into the second period, with seven changes made at the interval, Weston looked to take further control of the ball and impose themselves within the Portishead half.
However, a break away by Portishead led by Jack Thorne fed Feltham into the box and with Max Harris coming out of goal to close the angle, he squared for Murray to sweep in on his left foot into an open net.
Substitute Sam Pearson curled an effort narrowly wide on his left foot after seeing an effort blocked, while down the other end Thorne’s shot from 20 yards was held by Harris. Murray then curled wide of the target from 25 yards for the hosts. Coulson then fired over inside the area after showing some nice footwork to beat a few defenders.
The Seagulls got a goal back when a smart pass into the box from Coulson freed James Dodd on the wrong side of his marker. Dodd’s ball across found Louis Britton, whose driven effort struck the post. The ball out fell to Pearson, who laid it off to Dawes on the edge of the area. The winger cut inside onto his left foot and curled an attempt inside the far post for his first goal in a Weston shirt.
As the players continue to get more minutes into their legs, we now look ahead to a visit to Melksham Town on Tuesday 22nd November, KO 7:45PM.
Full-Time: Portishead Town 4 – 1 Weston-super-Mare AFC (Feltham 31, 36, Egan pen 42, Murray 59 – Dawes 77)
Attendance: 458.
Weston XI: Glover (Harris 46), Dawes, Pope (Avery 46), Wood (Martin 46), Coulson (C), Jenkins, Trialist A, Hicks (Dodd 46), Bak (Britton 46), Salmon (Waite 46), King (Pearson 46).
