WESTON’S UNBEATEN RUN HALTED AT MAIDENHEAD
Weston-super-Mare’s three-game winning run was ended by Maidenhead United on Saturday afternoon, with the home side running out 2-0 winners at York Road.
Ben Wright’s brace either side of half time, from a pair of poorly defended corners, was the difference in an otherwise lifeless game. Weston grafted hard to get back in the game but their efforts were not rewarded, meaning they spend another weekend in the bottom three of the Vanarama National League South.
Two changes were made to the Weston side that eased past Wingate and Finchley last weekend, with Tsvetan Filipov replacing the injured Scott Wilson, while Jacob Cane was rotated in for Ben Withey.
The game was preceded by a minute’s silence for Ashley Doyle, who was tragically killed in the Uphill Castle Cricket Club crash on the M4 on Monday evening.
The initial exchanges of the game were scrappy; neither side able craft play on the deck, but the Magpies managed to force a corner with 10 minutes played. Dave Tarpey’s under-hit in-swinging delivery was flicked on by Harry Pritchard into the path of Ben Wright who smartly diverted the ball beyond Luke Purnell.
The Seagulls were rocked by the opener, and Maidenhead could have made it 2-0 if it weren’t for the Purnell rushing off his line to smother Ryan Upward’s goalbound effort.
Jake Llewellyn departed proceedings with 20 minutes played, unable to recover from an earlier knock to the shin. The left-back was replaced by Joe McClennan.
Weston gradually grew into the game, and should have levelled with half an hour played. A flowing counter-attack was ignited by the lively Jake Mawford on the left flank, who nutmegged Dean Inman before releasing Tsvetan Filpov. The Bulgarian sensibly played through to Brad Ash, but his touch was too heavy, allowing the Maidenhead defence to recover and force an inconsequential corner.
Efforts from Ash and Filipov prior to the interval were comfortably saved by home ‘keeper Carl Pentney, ensuring that Weston remained one behind at the break.
Purnell was on hand to make another superb save 6 minutes into the second half, somehow palming away Tarpey’s powerful header from close range.
But the Weston stopper’s heroics were to be in vein when Wright doubled his tally for the afternoon with 57 minutes played, instinctively back-heeling over the line from under the crossbar after the Seagulls couldn’t clear Pritchard’s in-swinging corner.
Ryan Northmore introduced Mitchell Page and Tristan Plummer in hope of mustering a fightback, and Plummer had a great opportunity to narrow the deficit inside the final 10 minutes when inventive build-up from Mawford and Cane set the diminutive forward through on goal, but his low effort was too close to Petney, who saved well with his legs, and this proved to be Weston’s final clear cut chance, sending the Seagulls into next week’s crucial FA Cup qualifier at St Albans on the back of a defeat.
Final Score: Maidenhead United 2-0 Weston-super-Mare
Starting XI: Purnell, Keary, Barnes, Byrne, Edge (c), Fortune, Cane, Ash (Page), Filipov (Plummer), Mawford, Llewellyn (McClennan)
Substitutes: (Not Used) Withey, Wring.