Match Report by Alan Cooper

Two second half strikes sealed the points for a resurgent Weston for Scott Bartlett’s side as the Seagulls celebrated their second win of the week, following the club’s excellent victory at Chesham United on Tuesday night.

In an opening of half of few opportunities, the Essex side showed the greater initial promise, Bradley Willilams going close on two occasions inside the opening ten minutes, his second effort stopped well by Weston custodian Willliam Buse, then on fourteen minutes Osmon Foyo shot high over the bar when well placed.

Weston’s first effort came from powerhouse Luke Coulson a minute later, side-stepping two defenders before crashing his low shot past the upright.

Chelmsford had the ball in the net on thirty-nine minutes through captain Charlie Ruff although the player was in an offside position. James Dodd was on target late on, Ted Collins saving well, before Jake Hyde’s diving header flashed wide of the woodwork for the visitors. On the stoke of half time Ollie Chamberlain’s neat backheel, set up brilliantly by Dylan Kadji almost opened the scoring for the hosts in an all-action finish to the first half.

The first half was to the greater effect a tense midfield affair and emotions were running high at times with Chelmsford manager Robbie Simpson being cautioned by the match official following five minutes of additional time played at the end of the first half.

Half time: Weston super Mare 0 Chelmsford City 0

Starting the second half with renewed vigour, the Seagulls went close twice in the opening minutes, initially from James Waite, on forty-eight minutes, who raced in brilliantly from the left flank laying the ball off to James Dodd whose thunderous effort was parried by goalkeeper Collins. Then on fifty-two minutes, Dylan Kadji’s accuracy found Luke Coulson, controlling the ball stylishly but the Chelmsford goalkeeper was up to the task bravely blocking the Weston midfielder’s effort.

It wasn’t until the hour mark when three clever tactical substitutions changed the entire course of the game, thence allowing James Waite to control the midfield area superbly. A triple substitution allowed Jordan Bastin [for Morgan Lewis], Reuben Reid [for Brandon Bak] and Nick McCootie [for Ollie Chamberlain] to get their opportunities to have an influence, and the impact was both instant and dramatic. Reid’s astute sixty-third minute pass found fellow substitute Nick McCootie whose side footed effort spun past Collins as the latter sped into the box.

Just six minutes later and Waite was in the thick of the action again, hitting a spinning shot that Collins did well to hold.

Weston added a second – and their matchwinner – Reid, receiving Waite’s slide rule pass on seventy-nine minutes and although surrounded by defenders, drilled his effort past Collins to great aplomb from teammates and supporters alike.

With the game now into time added on, the Essex side pushed forward in search of a consolation goal, but Ikechukow Orji, although surging forward at full speed was denied by a superb Willilam Buse stop, using both feet to clear the ball, the young goalkeeper gaining in confidence with every appearance and producing an almost faultless performance on the day with his top positional sense and handling techniques.

James Waite had to be helped off the field of play deep into time added on, the midfield battler suffering an injury in a late attacking move into the visitors’ penalty area, leaving the Seagulls with just ten outfield players for the remaining two minutes of play added on.

This arguably the Seagulls best performance of the season so far, and Scott Bartlett and his coaching staff should be rightly proud of their efforts with a hard fought two successive games bringing home six highly valuable points.

Bank holiday Monday’s clash at Maidstone, with both sides going well now, is likely to be a thriller.

Full-Time: Weston-super-Mare AFC 2 – 0 Chelmsford City (McCootie 63, Reid 79)

Weston super Mare: Buse, Thomas (Avery 33), Kadji, Pope, Dodd, Waite, Coulson, M Lewis (Bastin 58), Lewis E ©, Bak (Reid 58), Chamberlain (McCootie58)

Unused sub: Absalom

Attendance: 902

Man of The Match: Jason Pope. A solid defensive display from the Weston defender, his calm influence at the back securing Weston a first clean sheet of the season.