Match Report by Liam Drury, Photography by Ade Threasher
In our first game of 2025, today’s visitors Chippenham Town defeated the Seagulls 3 – 1 at The Optima Stadium despite Reuben Reid pulling a goal back early into the second half.
One change was made from our Boxing Day trip to Truro, with Sam Pearson returning for Harvey Greenslade, who missed out due to illness.
Harry Parsons poked wide inside the opening couple of minutes, before Reid dragged wide of the far post on the counter following a run up the right by Pearson. Kadji then saw an attempt blocked from 25 yards.
The visitors broke the deadlock 12 minutes in when a cross from Tyreke Johnson found the head of Will Dawes, who got across his man and struck a downward header into the bottom corner past the outstretched arm of Max Harris for 1-0.
Pearson volleyed wide from 20 yards after picking up a second ball, before he fired a shot into the side-netting after playing a one-two with Reid down the Weston right. Down the other end, Parsons fired wide of the target after bringing a long ball from former Seagull Nat Williams.
Leone Gravata dragged an effort into the arms of Harris, before Will Henry was forced into a double save by Weston, first pushing away a strike from Pearson and then scrambling back to his feet to deny a toe-poke from Reid. Ollie Chamberlain went close to getting his first goal for the Seagulls when being found in behind and managing to get past Henry, but he lost his balance and Johnson was able to clear.
The Bluebirds doubled their lead on the half-hour when a smart passing move saw Parsons get away from his man and drive towards the area, dinking a shot over Harris and into the roof of the net for 2-0.
Dawes struck the outside of the post from 12 yards following Gravata’s cut-back, before Tom Mehew had an attempt deflected behind for a corner and Raphael Araoye headed wide from Luke Coulson’s free-kick delivery in the final action of the half.
Half-Time: Weston-super-Mare AFC 0 – 2 Chippenham Town
The Seagulls were to pull one back minutes into the second half when Coulson saw a 50-50 deflect off of him and bounce kindly for Reid, who took a touch to race in behind and round Henry. Despite the angle being tight, he managed to squeeze a shot in past Henry and the covering Chippenham defender racing back for his seventh goal of the season.
The visitors were to restore their two-goal lead however when Harris pushed away a Dawes shot from 18 yards, but Alex Bray recovered the ball on the far side. He laid it back to Dawes inside the area, who clipped a cross towards the back post which deceived Harris and the men waiting to profit as it nestled into the side-netting.
Weston looked to hit back straight away when Pearson fired over first-time inside the area after Jordan Bastin’s cross had been headed clear straight to him, before Henry gathered a Pearson shot from inside the area at the second attempt after Coulson had found the nippy winger in behind. James Dodd then volleyed wide from inside the area after flicking up a driven Pearson pass and setting his sights for goal.
Reid struck the angle of post and bar when being found in behind by Pearson, substitute Nick McCootie was then denied by the leg of Henry after Pearson had managed to find him in space before other substitute Keiran Thomas hooked a Coulson corner over the bar. Coulson had the final attempt of the game from 30 yards, driving over the bar in additional time.
The Seagulls now turn their attention to Tonbridge Angels on Saturday, as we head down to Kent for our first trip of 2025.
Full-Time: Weston-super-Mare AFC 1 – 3 Chippenham Town (Reid 48; Dawes 12, 54, Parsons 30)
Weston XI: Harris, Kadji (Bastin HT), Avery (McCootie 81), Jagger Cane, Dodd, Reid, Pearson, Coulson, Araoye, Lewis (C), Chamberlain (Thomas 62).
Unused substitute: Bak.
Attendance: 1,115.
MOTM: Jacob Jagger Cane. A hard-working performance from the man in midfield, winning his duels and putting in an energetic shift.
