In an admirable performance by a young Weston side, the young charges lost 1-0 away at Bridgwater United.
Ross Edwards had a glancing header from a corner cleared off the line by Dan Maspero, before Sam Hedges fired over from a corner after Ollie Hebbard’s shot had deflected into his path. Oscar Collins had the first chance of the night for the Seagulls, cutting in from the left and seeing his shot across goal flash past Jake Viney’s far post.
Prince Henry thought he had put Weston ahead when tucking in past Viney one-on-one after a neat reverse pass from Collins, but the linesman’s flag on the far side denied the young striker. Henry then had a shot deflect for a corner from 18 yards after latching onto a long kick forward by Jacob Sheridan. Hebbard then had a chance up the other end for Bridgwater, but he sliced wide from Conor Hartley’s pull-back.
There was one last opportunity for the hosts in the first half, but Sheridan was alert to keep out a close-range Hedges effort.
In the second half, Bridgwater came close to scoring just before the hour mar. Jack Thorne dispossessed Nat Williams down the left and found Hartley at the back post, but a sliding Joe Eyles challenge kept the shot out from less than six yards in what would have been a certain goal. Bridgwater had a goal ruled out as Ross Edwards headed in, but the celebrations were cut short for a foul on Sheridan in the build-up.
Weston then came close themselves when Jay Murray fed Callum Black down the right, and his shot from a tight angle was tipped onto the bar by Viney with Henry unable to get the ball out of his feet from the rebound and Viney could gather.
The game’s only goal was to come nine minutes from time when a pass over the top found Hartley in behind. He brought the ball down and got a shot away, which Sheridan kept out with his arm. The ball fell kindly back to Hartley however, and he was able to round Sheridan and tuck his shot away to break the deadlock for the hosts.
Thorne fired over the bar from outside the area for the hosts as Weston looked for a route back into the game, but the experience of Bridgwater saw the game out in the end.
FT: Bridgwater 1-0 Weston (Hartley 81)
Attendance: 321.
Weston XI: Jacob Sheridan, Joe Eyles, Williams, Thomas (C) (Graham 45), Louis Singfield, Harry Pegler, Murray, Callum Black (Callum Dean 84), Henry, Dan Maspero, Oscar Collins (Isaac Neale 84). Unused substitutes: Fenton King, Tommy Skidmore.
MOTM: Dan Maspero.