A Marlon Jackson goal 32 seconds into the game saw Weston kick off the Vanarama National League South season with a 1-0 win against Havant & Waterlooville.
The Seagulls got off to a dream start to the contest 32 seconds in when Rex Mannings got down the right and cut onto his left inside the area, his low cross across goal converted by Jackson from yards out for 1-0.
James Roberts had a volley at the back post deflected behind for a corner following Tom Blair’s delivery from the right, before skipper for the day Lloyd Humphries had a 30-yard free-kick deflect wide for a corner off of the wall. Joe Oastler met a Roarie Deacon corner at the back post, but Harry Lee was able to gather the effort.
Jackson turned inside the area and saw a shot kept out by the chest of Dylan Berry when being fed through, before Jake McCarthy fired wide of the post from 25 yards when the ball fell kindly to him.
Bastin had a one-on-one effort kept out by Berry when being flicked through by Reuben Reid, before the winger’s shot following a game of pinball six yards out was deflected wide for a corner. Bastin was again proving influential when he got down the left, his low cross being latched upon by James Dodd as he skipped round his man but saw his shot saved by Berry.
In the second period, a Deacon free-kick from 25 yards out on the left came back off the bar and Havant earnt a corner from the rebound, while minutes later Roberts headed a Blair cross wide from 12 yards when ghosting into the area. Bastin then had a chance from 25 yards down the other end when bringing down a visiting clearance, but his effort was wide of the target on the half-volley.
Weston had a chance to double their advantage when Dodd made a break into the box, and was brought down from behind by Joe McNerney. The referee pointed to the spot, and up stepped Reid but his penalty struck the bar and Dodd’s rebound was kept out by the foot of Berry.
Bastin had an effort from the edge of the area when a low shot across goal was just beyond the far post, before another chance fell the way of the winger. A brilliant team move under pressure eventually saw the ball worked out to Mannings on the right, whose inch-perfect cross found Bastin free of any man inside the area. He brought the ball down, but his side-footed shot was just past the near post.
Mo Faal had a chance when cutting inside from the left wing but under pressure from Thomas, he dragged his shot wide of Lee’s near post. Jake McCarthy had the game’s final chance when firing over the bar from 25 yards when the ball broke his way.
FT: Weston 1-0 Havant & Waterlooville (Jackson 1)
Attendance: 884.
Weston XI: Lee, Thomas, Pope, Jagger Cane, Humphries (C), Avery, Mannings, Dodd, Jackson (Morton 85), Bastin, Reid. Unused substitutes: Purnell, Soule, Murray.
MOTM: Marlon Jackson.