Skipper Dayle Grubb popped up right on cue to hammer in a decisive goal away to Hayes & Yeading to take a 1-0 victory.
Jordan Bastin had the game’s first half-chance when a Dayle Grubb free-kick was punched his way by Ryan Hall, but the winger’s shot was blocked by an onrushing Hayes defender. The No.11 was to get another chance when on the end of a counter-attack after James Dodd had intercepted a pass and found Reuben Reid further up the field, but Bastin’s shot was again blocked after Reid had played him into space.
Hayes were to find themselves reduced to ten men when a loose ball squirmed out toward the halfway line. Early substitute Jay Murray and Taylor Miles reached the ball at the same time in a 50-50 challenge, with Murray being left in a heap on the ground after the challenge. Referee Stuart Bryan reached for his pocket and produced a red card, dismissing Miles from the field of play for the 55 minutes left of the tie.
One final chance fell for Weston in the game when Dodd’s driving run through midfield led him into space and the opportunity to play Bastin in on goal, but the winger curled over the crossbar from inside the area.
Early in the second period, half-time substitute Bruno Tavares curled a 25-yard free-kick toward the Weston goal which keeper Max Harris managed to tip over the crossbar.
The deadlock was to be broken though a lovely Weston team move when a great switch of play found Bastin on the right. His pass inside found Marlon Jackson, who turned and played in Murray on the overlap. The youngster drove into the box and got his head up, pulling the ball back for skipper Grubb to smash in first-time from 12 yards.
The Seagulls went sniffing for more goals, and came inches away on two occasions. Lloyd Humphries fired wide from 25 yards after he had recieved the ball second phase from a corner, and Bastin then fired across goal just past the far post after a long Humphries pass picked him out in behind.
Harris was called into action when catching Alfie Williams’ free-kick, before Charlie Wassmer nodded over a Williams cross from 12 yards as Hayes looked to find an equaliser late on.
Jackson went for a speculative shot 30 yards from goal after bringing down a Harris kick, but his effort floated wide. Grubb then had a shot 18 yards from goal after turning from a Bastin pass, but Hall was able to gather his effort. Laird had the final attempt of the game from 25 yards after a ball broke his way, but he drove over.
Despite some late Hayes pressure, the Seagulls were able to see out the win and return to North Somerset with all three points.
FT: Hayes & Yeading 0-1 Weston (Miles S/O 36 – Grubb 55)
Weston XI: Harris, Thomas (Murray 12), Tunnicliff (Laird 81), Jagger-Cane, Humphries, Avery, Dodd, Jackson, Grubb (C), Bastin, Reid (Watts 67). Unused substitutes: Purnell, Griffith.
MOTM: Jacob Jagger-Cane.