A Scott Laird brace as well as goals from Dayle Grubb, Sam Avery and Noah Coppin saw Weston win away at Harrow Borough 5-1.
Weston went close inside the opening two minutes when a loose ball came to Marlon Jackson inside the box, who rounded Jacob Knightbridge and laid the ball back to Jordan Bastin. The winger took aim first-time, but his low effort was cleared off the line by Shaun Preddie. Anointed Chukwu had Harrow’s first attempt on goal, his strike from 25 yards being held by Purnell.
The Seagulls were to break the deadlock when a Grubb free-kick was nodded down by Avery, and Laird was on hand to bundle in from a few yards out for 1-0.
Isiah Noel-Williams then had a chance for Harrow when he met Billy Leonard’s corner, but Purnell held the looping header underneath his crossbar.
A second was to come for Weston when Marlon Jackson’s shot was blocked from 25 yards. The ball spun out for Reid on the right, whose cross was deflected through to Grubb on the far side of the box. The skipper took a touch before curling an attempt into the far corner for his 18th league goal of the season.
Avery was to get his name on the scoresheet as well when a Bastin corner found him six yards out, and the central defender’s diving header nestled nicely in the back of the net.
Purnell was forced into an excellent save eight minutes before half-time when Ahmet Biler brought down a cross 18 yards out and cut onto his right foot, the shot being deflected off of a sliding Jagger Cane. With the ball destined for the target, Purnell managed to get a fingertip on the ball and tip it over the crossbar.
Harrow had a chance inside the first five minutes of the second half when Purnell tripped Leonard inside the area. The No.8 stepped up to the spot, but his low penalty kick to the right of Luke was pushed away by the keeper.
Weston had a chance when Jason Pope intercepted a pass out of defence and led a counter, finding Reid down the right channel. The striker pulled a pass back to the No.2, whose shot was pushed away by Knightbridge.
Weston got a fourth when Grubb was found down the right-hand side following a neat pass and stepover. The skipper played a pass across toward Reid, who beat Knightbridge to the ball. With the angle tight and against him, he laid a pass back to Laird who hammered a strike first-time into the top corner from the edge of the area.
Harrow got themselves a consolation when Leonard’s shot from 25 yards nestled low in the bottom corner past Purnell.
The hosts kept coming again though when Chukwu was slipped through on goal and when he tried to place his attempt across goal, Purnell’s foot got in the way and deflected the ball away from danger. Substitute Jay Murray had a bending strike from 25 yards gathered low down by Knightbridge, while down the other end Purnell pushed a George Moore strike round the post low down to his right.
Noah Coppin was to get his first goal for the club when Murray was played down the right, and the winger’s cross-shot was tucked in by the sliding substitute from less than six yards out to seal the win.
FT: Harrow 1-5 Weston (Leonard 72 – Laird 11, 63, Grubb 24, Avery 32, Coppin 88)
Attendance: 201.
Weston XI: Purnell, Pope, Laird, Jagger Cane, Humphries, Avery, Dodd, Jackson (Murray 65), Grubb (C), Bastin (Watts 59), Reid (Coppin 65). Unused substitute: Moulden.
MOTM: Scott Laird.