In the first of the August Bank Holiday games, Weston were defeated 3-0 away at Farnborough.
Harry Lee was the first keeper called into action during the game, tipping over Connor Cullen’s drive from 18 yards after blocking a Lloyd Humphries clearance. Reuben Reid was inches away from meeting a Dayle Grubb free-kick from the left, as both teams tried feeling the other out early on.
The hosts were to take the lead when Selim Saied got the ball on the right and drove a low cross into the middle, which young loanee Lee got a fingertip to.The ball bounced kindly for Alfie Pavey a few yards from goal and he bundled the ball over the line for the game’s opener.
A low Humphries cross-shot from a right-sided free-kick was put behind by a Farnborough foot with Weston players closing in, while down the other end Lee stood strong when faced with a 4-on-1 break and pushed away a placed Saied shot across him toward the bottom corner. Reid then came inches away from converting a cross again, this time unable to stretch enough and meet a low delivery by Thomas from the right.
Farnborough were to double their lead just before the hour mark when a long Ollie Robinson throw evaded everyone in the middle and bounced nicely for Cullen at the back post, who nodded home from six yards.
The hosts were to get a third goal when another Robinson long throw, this time from the left, was glanced home off the unfortunate head of James Morton six-yards out and the attempt bounced over Lee at his far post.
Weston were then reduced to ten men with 22 minutes to go when Rex Mannings looked to win the ball in a 50-50 with Ryan Upward on the edge of the Farnborough penalty area, but his challenge was deemed to be a dangerous one by the referee and he was shown his marching orders with a straight red card.
The Seagulls had a couple of close chances inside the final 20 minutes, Grubb’s free-kick from 20 yards being tipped onto the post by Jack Turner and behind for a corner before Jason Pope fired an effort narrowly wide of the near post from 25 yards. Substitute Jamie Soule then came close when turning on halfway and wriggling past the last man to get in behind one-on-one, but his narrow toe-poke was just wide of Turner’s goal.
Down the other end, home substitute Jack Ball nodded a cross wide at the back post before Saied drove an effort wide from 25 yards when allowed to turn quickly. The No.24 for Farnborough then had the game’s final chance heading into the final minute when being found in behind, but Lee was out quicly to stop the shot.
FT: Farnborough 3-0 Weston (Pavey 19, Cullen 59, Morton OG 63)
Attendance: 720.
Weston XI: Lee, Thomas, Pope, Jagger Cane (Edwards 76), Humphries, James (Bastin 76), Morton, Dodd, Mannings (S/O 68), Grubb (C), Reid (Soule 76). Unused substitutes: Purnell, Murray.
MOTM: Reuben Reid.