Three changes were made from Saturday’s dramatic late win at Hampton & Richmond, with Sam Avery, James Waite & Pearson all coming in for Callum Wood, Jake Hicks & Michael Smith.
The Seagulls started quickly, with Waite finding space on the edge of the area and seeing a low attempt pushed round the post by Adam Desbois in the Slough sticks.
The first goal was to come 13 minutes in when Lewis picked out an excellent ball over the top for Jagger Cane’s run, who managed to beat the offside trap down the right flank. He delivered a ball in for Britton six yards out, who brought the ball down and poked in for his tenth goal of the campaign.
Jagger Cane then drove wide himself from 18 yards when latching onto a loose ball following some tricky feet by Waite on the edge of the box to work a yard of space.
The hosts were to equalise however, when Jaiden Drakes-Thomas saw a loose ball fall his way 18 yards out after Weston struggled to clear their lines and he curled a brilliant attempt inside Max Harris’ far post to make it 1 – 1, coincidentally also the first goal that Weston had conceded at home this season in eight matches.
Rebels skipper John Goddard was to then go close from a Jared Myers cross at the back post, his toe-poke striking the base of the woodwork and rolling away.
The Seagulls were to strike back through their own captain however, Coulson’s deep corner to the back post being met by a downward Lewis header and creeping inside the post for his first goal this campaign.
Pearson was to get himself on the scoresheet for the first time in the evening when he latched onto a brilliant Coulson ball following the No.7 taking on two men down the left and swinging an inch-perfect cross in, Weston’s opposite winger then having the simple task of poking a volley beyond Desbois.
Jason Pope, featuring at right-back, then saw a shot from 30 yards arrow past the far post, before Pearson struck the woodwork when being fed through by Waite not long before half-time.
Half-Time: Weston-super-Mare AFC 3 – 1 Slough Town
The Seagulls were then to score a fourth goal less than three minutes into the second half, Dan Martin taking his man on down the left-hand side. His cross in for Pearson allowed the winger to lay off for Jagger Cane at an angle, who bent an unstoppable effort into the far corner past Desbois for his first of the season.
Slough then saw themselves reduced to ten men when Harvey Walker looked to attack down the left-hand side and took a tumble inside the area under pressure from Pope, but referee Neil Pratt deemed it to be an act of simulation and flashed Walker a second yellow card.
With Weston now firmly in the driving seat, Pearson flashed a shot wide of the target when running at the away right-back, before Drakes-Thomas came close to a second goal of the evening when his thunderous attempt from 25 yards smacked the underside of the crossbar and bounced away from danger to a Weston head in Avery. Wiktor Makowski then saw an effort from 18 yards head wide of goal on his left foot, before Weston’s Charlie Cummins dragged a shot from 30 yards into Desbois’ arms.
The Seagulls did make it five with 16 minutes left on the clock, Waite turning on halfway and driving into acres of space vacated by the Slough midfield. He fed Pearson on his right, and the winger burst in on goal to smash a low effort into the far corner.
Britton then came close to another goal when his free header from a Coulson corner was pushed away by Desbois, and then substitute Hicks went close inside the box from a Coulson cut-back that was kept out by the visiting keeper. 16-year-old debutant Owen Johnson, a player within our U19s, then saw a low effort inside the area held by Desbois in what was to be the final act of the game.
The Seagulls’ resounding victory saw them move top of the Enterprise National League South on goal difference, ahead of a tricky visit to Tonbridge Angels this Saturday, 25th October.
Full – Time: Weston-super-Mare AFC 5 – 1 Slough Town (Britton 13, Lewis 23, Pearson 36,74, Jagger Cane 47; Drakes-Thomas 18)
Attendance: 860
Weston XI: Harris, Jagger Cane (Hicks 54), Avery, Coulson, Britton, Waite (King 80), Pearson (Salmon 80), Pope, Lewis (C) (Wood 53), Cummins, Martin (Johnson 80).
Unused substitutes: Glover, Smith.
MOTM: Sam Pearson. An electrifying performance from the No.11, two goals and an assist to cap of an excellent night for the club.
