In the first game of 2019, the Seagulls started the New Year with a bang as they scored all three goals from set pieces away to Gloucester City in a 1 – 3 win.
Marlon Jackson’s 20-yard shot was dragged wide after he cut inside past two players, and George Nurse saw his shot from outside the box blocked before right-back Jack Goodall, a late addition to the starting lineup after Naby Diallo’s injury, saw a follow up effort on his weaker foot fly wide from 25 yards.
Jackson beat Adam Robbins on the left before pulling the ball back for Jamie Lucas, who saw his sidefooted effort palmed away by Jojo Wollacott. In the follow up, Nurse and Jennison Myrie-Williams had shots blocked as Gloucester put bodies on the line before Gethyn Hill put an overhead kick over the bar. Joe Parker went close on the counter for Gloucester ten minutes before half-time, but his shot from the edge of the area was deflected wide by Aaron Parsons.
Hill went close with the last kick of the first half, but his glancing header from Jackson’s cross landed on the roof of the net.
Less than 50 seconds into the second half, and Gloucester were celebrating. Odin Bailey picked the ball up outside the area and on his left foot, he rifled a shot from 25 yards into the roof of Purnell’s net, breaking the deadlock.
Image: Will. T. Photography
Not long after though and the Seagulls had drawn level. An inch-perfect corner from Alex Byrne found Jackson on the penalty spot, and his downward header beat Wollacott to equalise.
Jake Jackson’s low effort was held by Purnell after Gloucester’s striker had been played in behind the defence, and Parsons headed wide at the back post from Byrne’s free-kick.
Weston had a goal disallowed for offside when Nurse’s free-kick was met by Jake Lee, and the centre-back nodded the ball back the way it came and into the net, but was adjudged to be offside.
Weston did get a second though when a Byrne corner was originally cleared, but the midfielder got the ball back and on his weaker right foot. His cross into the middle was going away from goal, but Lucas expertly flicked the ball towards goal and found it nestling in the far corner with Wollacott rooted.
Image: Will. T. Photography
Jackson curled wide of the target after Myrie-Williams had fed the experienced forward into the box, and a free-kick from substitute Eli Phipps was curled wide.
As the clock ticked into injury time, Weston sealed the win. A short corner from Byrne to Jackson saw the forward hold the ball in the corner but as soon as space opened up for the ex-Bristol City youngster, he drove inside. From the byline, he poked the ball across to Phipps, who stooped to head home as Weston celebrated the New Year with a win away from home.
FT: Gloucester City 1 – 3 Weston (Bailey 47 – Jackson 54, Lucas 75, Phipps 90)
Weston XI: Purnell, Byrne, Nurse, Cane (C), Lee, Parsons, Lucas (Phipps 82), Goodall, Jackson, Myrie-Williams (Llewellyn 90+1), Hill. Unused substitutes: Swallow, Morris-Edwards.
MOTM: Marlon Jackson – Played the majority of the game out left, but was excellent with the ball at his feet. His runs down the wing and strength gave Gloucester right-back Adam Robbins a hard time, and had a goal and assist to show for his efforts.