A Marlon Jackson goal midway inside the second half saw Weston draw with Hampton & Richmond Borough 1-1 at The Optima.
Mason Bloomfield headed over first for Hampton from Dan Wishart’s corner, before Harry Lee came out to block a Ruaridh Donaldson one-on-one following Bloomfield’s flick on from a long ball. Marlon Jackson then had a goal ruled out for offside following James Morton’s disguised pass into the box.
Reuben Reid then had an 18-yard chip strike the top of the crossbar and bounce over following Dean Inman’s misjudged header following Harry Lee’s long kick forward, before Lloyd Humphries curled past the post from a wide angle after steaming forward on the overlap to receive a pass from James Dodd. Humphries then had a shot from 25 yards deflected wide following Grubb’s layoff from an indirect free-kick.
Ed James headed over from a Morton corner before Humphries saw a 25-yard half-volley held by Adam Desbois following Grubb’s corner being headed clear.
The visitors were to take the lead when a quick corner from Jake Gray was met by the foot of Jordan Thomas, who couldn’t connect cleanly with the shot. The ball broke for Mason Bloomfield, who lashed home from inside the area past Harry Lee to break the deadlock.
With the final chance of the half, former Weston loanee Ben Seymour curled just past the far post after Gray’s flick onto him following a quick counter.
Donaldson had the first chance of the second half when he poked wide a Bloomfield cross at the near post, before Lee tipped over a Gray shot from 18 yards. Seymour then drove over from inside the area following Inman’s header back across from a Gray corner.
Jamie Soule had a shot on the half-turn from inside the area held by Desbois following Jason Pope’s early cross, before Donaldson had a shot held by Lee while Bloomfield then drove wide from 25 yards when turning away from a Weston defender.
Humphries had a free-kick held by Desbois from 25 yards, before James Dunne curled wide from 18 yards following Gray’s layoff. Reid then hit the side-netting after being found on the left by Soule, while Jackson had a volley blocked by the body of Desbois after the keeper had spilt Grubb’s curling attempt.
The Seagulls were to level it when the ball was won in the middle and Grubb fed the ball in behind for Jackson to race onto, who stayed composed and slotted past Desbois one-on-one for his third goal of the league campaign.
Wishart had a 25-yard shot deflected wide, before Gray had a shot from the edge of the area gathered by Lee. Down the other end, Reid had a shot across goal pushed aside by the fingertips of Desbois as Weston looked to get their noses in front.
Luis Fernandez headed just past the post from a Gray corner, and Soule put just past the far post after driving into space down the left-hand side when giving chase to a Lee goal-kick forward.
A Deadfield free-kick from 25 yards was caught by Lee, before substitute Alfy Whittingham was denied by the foot of Lee as he cut inside onto his right foot inside the box. Humphries had the game’s final chance when taking range from 40 yards after receiving a throw-in, his low strike gathered to Desbois’ left.
FT: Weston 1-1 Hampton & Richmond (Jackson 68 – Bloomfield 40)
Attendance: 883.
Weston XI: Lee, Pope, James, Humphries, Avery, Morton, Dodd, Jackson, Grubb (C), Soule (Murray 90+10), Reid. Unused substitutes: Purnell, Jagger Cane, Kempster, Edwards.
MOTM: Sam Avery.