Goals from Dayle Grubb, Elis Watts and Rex Mannings saw Weston beat their hosts 3-0 in the first friendly of 2023.
Skipper Grubb broke the deadlock just five minutes in following a foul by Tyler Mannings on Jay Murray inside the area as the winger delivered a low ball into the box. The referee pointed to the spot, and Grubb stepped up to send Jason Mellor the wrong way from 12 yards for 1-0.
Jacob Jagger Cane had a shot from the edge of the D deflect behind for a corner, before Jamie Soule fired wide at the front post after racing onto Murray’s low cross. Sam Beresford then volleyed over from inside the area after Weston had momentrily dealt with a long throw into the area.
Image: Paul Harnden
Reuben Reid had a shot blocked inside the area after he had cut back onto his right following Grubb’s through ball. The No.10 then had a shot kept out by Mellor when taking aim inside the area, before Soule’s follow-up was smartly blocked in the half’s final piece of action.
In the second half, Marlon Jackson curled wide of the target after working himself some room 20 yards out, before Lloyd Humphries and Watts fired over the target from long range. Watts then almost made it two when being slipped in by Jackson, but his effort rippled the side netting.
Watts made it two 16 minutes before the end when a long pass over the top released him into space. Looking to beat his man but with a lack of support up with him, the wideman fired in a shot past Mellor at his near post for the Welshman’s first goal of pre-season.
Image: Josh Thomas
Weston’s final goal of the afternoon came when Jackson beat his man on the left of the area and clipped a cross in, Mellor managing to push away. The hosts’ goalkeeper could only palm the ball straight onto the foot of Rex Mannings however, who volleyed in on the left foot six yards out to round off a good pre-season outing.
FT: Nailsea & Tickenham 0-3 WsM (Grubb pen 5, Watts 74, Mannings 81)
Weston XI: Purnell (Sheridan 85), Thomas, Kempster (Laird 63), Jagger Cane (Pope HT), Humphries (Maspero 63), Avery, Murray (Bastin HT), Dodd (Watts HT), Grubb (C), Soule (Mannings HT), Reid (Jackson HT).
MOTM: Jay Murray.