Match Report by Rob Hammett
Weston were forced to settle for a point after an evenly-fought 1-1 draw with Chesham United at the Optima Stadium.
The Seagulls came into the game in good form after winning their last two games in Vanarama National League South. Manager Scott Bartlett made two changes from the side that started at Chelmsford City, as Keiran Thomas and Sam Avery came in for Ollie Chamberlain and Josh Seberry..
Weston’s first opportunity to score came around midway through the first-half when Luke Coulson’s perfectly threaded through-ball in behind the Chesham backline found Sam Pearson, but visiting goalkeeper Ben Goode rushed out and made a good block with his legs, before Goode lived up to his name with another fine save to keep out Will Dawes’ fierce shot after being teed up by Reuben Reid.
But it was then Max Harris who was the busiest of the two goalkeepers before the half-time whistle, as he kept out on-target efforts from Ryan Upward and Chesham captain Callum Adebiyi, before making another decent save from Upward’s spectacular diving header.
HALF-TIME: Weston-super-Mare AFC 0-0 Chesham United
Generals’ dangerman Upward went close again at the start of the second-half, but he nodded the ball wide from close range, before Dawes sprinted down the right flank and sent a teasing ball across the six-yard area, but it just evaded his Weston team-mates.
But The Seagulls weren’t to be denied as they took the lead in their next attack. The Generals were caught out as they tried to push forward, and Weston found themselves in a favourable four versus one. Dawes again raced through and he chose the right option as he squared the ball for Coulson to steer the ball home from close range.
Chesham, however, came roaring back and Adebiyi was close again but he volleyed just wide, before Zak Joseph looked certain to equalise when his goalbound shot was spectacularly cleared off the line by Sam Avery.
Alex Lafleur also had a great chance to restore parity for the visitors, but Harris made another good save, but The Generals fortunes changed when substitute Avan Jones set up Nathan Minhas to fire home a deserved equaliser.
Harris made his best save when he got down low at his near post to keep out an effort from Jones, but from then on it was almost all Weston from an attacking point of view.
Reid fired just wide of goal from the edge of the area, before the woodwork was to spare Chesham twice in quick succession.
Firstly, excellent work on the right-hand side from the highly impressive pair of Dawes and Oli Jenkins saw the ball find Coulson just inside the area, but his volley hit the post with Goode stranded.
Then moments later, Pearson flicked the ball on with his head to Reid and his pass found Coulson again, but his shot possibly hit the same lick of paint on the frame of the goal as his last effort, as Weston came so agonisingly close to earning all three points.
One more chance did come The Seagulls’ way, as Jordan Bastin did well to burst down the left-hand side and send in an inviting cross, but Avery headed just over in Weston’s final attack.
It is now seven days until Weston return to action when they travel to Essex next Saturday to take on Hornchurch.
FULL-TIME: Weston-super-Mare AFC 1-1 Chesham United (Coulson 53′; Minhas 72′)
Weston: Harris; Thomas (Seberry 44′), Lewis (Jenkins HT), Avery, Bastin; Kadji (Jagger-Cane 58′), Dodd; Dawes, Pearson, Coulson; Reid
Unused substitutes: Soule, Waite
Attendance: 1,236
Man of the Match: Max Harris. Kept The Seagulls in the game with several important stops to deny The Generals.
