A Reuben Reid penalty on the hour mark helped Weston to a 1-1 draw against high-flying Maidstone United.
The visitors took the lead with the game’s first shot, former Weston academy player Sol Wanjau-Smith flicking a pass in behind for Levi Amantchi to race onto. The powerful forward got goalside of Lloyd Humphries and managed to roll a shot across Harry Lee and into the bottom corner for 1-0.
Weston looked for a way back into the game, Keiran Thomas’ looping header from the returning Dayle Grubb’s corner being claimed by Lucas Covolan. Reuben Reid had a toe-poke on the stretch kept out by Covolan after being found inside the area from Robbie Willmott’s clipped pass, before Thomas fired over from 25 yards after receiving a short pass from Reid.
Reid was then called into defensive action down the other end to head an Amantchi header back across goal off the line from a corner, while down the other end Reid volleyed over a Willmott free-kick from 12 yards out. Grubb & Reid then had shots deflected wide for corners, with the last corner of the half falling to Jacob Jagger Cane on the edge of the area who drove over the bar first-time.
In the second half, Willmott fired over from 25 yards after being found centrally by Grubb, while down the other end Amantchi headed a Sam Corne free-kick wide. Jordan Bastin then had a chance to test the keeper from 25 yards, space opening up and his 25-yard shot being pushed away by Covolan.
The Seagulls were to level things up on the hour when Lloyd Humphries was hauled to the ground from a corner, the referee pointing to the spot. Reid stepped up to the plate, and hammered his penalty low into the bottom corner for his third goal in two games.
Weston went close when a smart move down the left involving Reid, Bastin, Grubb and Morton led to the skipper poking it through for Morton inside the area, whose low shot was held by Covolan. Reid then headed over a Willmott cross from 12 yards as he peeled away from his marker. Morton then fired over the bar from 25 yards with the game’s final chance.
FT: Weston 1-1 Maidstone (Reid pen 60 – Amantchi 3)
Attendance: 886.
Weston XI: Lee, Bastin, Thomas, Pope, Humphries, Willmott, Morton, Jagger Cane, Reid, Edwards (Mannings 83), Grubb (C). Unused substitutes: Purnell, Pearce, Avery, Roddy.
MOTM: James Morton.