An early Chris Knowles strike was cancelled out in the second half by visitors AFC Totton, as the Seagulls played out a 1-1 draw with their visitors at The Optima Stadium.
Weston scored within the opening 35 seconds of the game, Greg Tindle’s long diagonal pass brought down by Nick McCootie on the right. He skipped inside and his pull-back found Chris Knowles on the edge of the area, his shot taking a deflection and beating the AFC Totton keeper for 1-0.
Sam Hendy’s weak effort with his heal from a Matt Jones cross was easily gathered by the Totton keeper, while the visitors’ left winger had a volley at the back post fail to trouble Luke Purnell in the Weston goal. Totton’s right winger then went close, his shot from inside the area flashing past Purnell’s left-hand post.
Mike Symons had a shot from 18 yards well held by Lewis Noice in the Totton goal, before Dayle Grubb failed to get a strike on target from a similar distance after cutting inside. Purnell was then called into action again, this time to make a double save, pushing a strike from the Totton midfielder away before the follow-up was kept out by his right boot.
Purnell pushed away a shot from Totton’s right winger as he drove into the box, before Symons had a shot cleared off the line following Grubb’s square pass and Hendy then having his rebound pushed away by the keeper as Totton got men back on the line to cover.
Weston’s No.1 comfortably held a volley from one of the Totton strikers before McCootie had a shot deflected into the arms of the keeper after cutting inside from the left in the last action of the first half.
AFC Totton drew level seven minutes into the second half when a Tindle backpass sold Purnell short, Hashim Kasimu latching onto the loose ball. He calmly rounded Purnell and slotted into an empty net for 1-1.
Following the flurry of changes on the 70th minute for the Seagulls, the youngsters gave a good showing of themselves. Callum Eastwood brought down a Luc Noble cross and toe-poked his effort straight at the keeper. The midfielder then had another effort, this time from 25 yards roll straight into the keeper’s arms. Ryan Jones had the final effort of the game, his long-range striker flying just over the bar.
FT: Weston 1-1 AFC Totton (Knowles 1 – Kasimu 52)
Weston XI: Purnell, Thomas (Goodall 70), Knowles (Eastwood 70), Avery (Noble 70), Tindle (C) (Parsons 57), McCootie (Harvey 70), Cane (Ryan Jones 70), Symons (Griffith 70), Grubb (Kempster 70), Hendy (Laird 57), Matt Jones (Ben Jones 70).
MOTM: Chris Knowles