Weston’s trip to Met Police ended in a 0-0 draw, in what was a positive performance for Scott Bartlett’s men.
Seagulls skipper Dayle Grubb had the first opportunity when curling a 25-yard free-kick over the bar, before Jason Pope drove over from a similar distance after intercepting a pass out from the hosts’ backline. Marlon Jackson then forced Liam Beach into a first save of the game when being poked through by Grubb, but his one-on-one from an angle was kept out by the home keeper.
Conor Lee curled over on his left foot from 25 yards after recieving a layoff from Herson Rodrigues-Alves, before a Jackson strike on the turn from 25 yards down the other end forced Beach into a diving save to push the ball away from danger. A Grubb free-kick 25 yards out from a central position was deflected behind off the wall for a corner, and from the set-piece, a short routine ended in the skipper having a shot held at Beach’s near post.
James Dodd glanced over from an inswinging Jordan Bastin corner, before Bastin went the closest yet for the Seagulls when driving a low effort at goal from 20 yards only to see the ball strike the base of the post and roll away from danger. Scott Laird was next to try his luck for the Seagulls, forcing Beach into a fingertip save when his 25-yard effort took a deflection toward goal.
Bastin was to have the final attempt of the half when his right-footed attempt from outside the box was kept out by the diving Beach, and a covering Met defender was able to clear before forward Olly Mehew could capitalise.
In the second half, Grubb had a 20-yard effort deflect over for a corner, before Jasper Mather led a home counter from a Weston corner and after driving into the box, his shot struck the angle of post and bar before dropping behind for a goal-kick. Jacob Jagger Cane was next to go close when he was found by Dodd’s pull-back 18 yards out, but the midfielder’s powerful effort was punched away by Beach.
Ollie Knight’s corner was met by the head of Luke Robertson down the other end with Laird clearing off the line. Less than 60 seconds later, Laird went close when latching onto Jay Murray’s low cross 12 yards out but he dragged his right-footed shot wide of the target when well-placed. Laird had another opportunity when Dodd stood a cross up into the centre, the No.3 heading wide of the target from 10 yards.
Dodd had a shot from the edge of the box deflect behind for a corner, before substitute Elis Watts also saw his shot from a similar range take a nick off of a home defender and spin behind for another Weston set-piece. Grubb then struck his shot into the ground from Watts’ pull-back 18 yards out, allowing Beach to gather comfortably.
The hosts were reduced to ten men however when right-back Lee was shown a second yellow card for simulation, having earlier been shown a yellow for a foul on Dodd as the midfielder broke through the centre of the park.
Despite all of Weston’s sustained pressure throughout the 90 minutes, the Seagulls were unable to find a way beyond the home defence.
FT: Met Police 0-0 Weston (Lee S/O 89)
Attendance: 104.
Weston XI: Purnell, Murray, Laird, Jagger Cane, Pope, Avery, Mehew (Thomas 73), Dodd, Jackson (Coppin 73), Grubb (C), Bastin (Watts 66). Unused substitute: Williams.
MOTM: James Dodd.