Marc McGregor returned to the dugout following his PFA advanced coaching plan in the Netherlands and watched as his Seagulls side took their first three points of the new campaign, thanks to a sprinkle of Dayle Grubb magic.
Gloucester started the stronger team, with Joe Parker having two early opportunities but managing to spurn them. Gloucester keeper Alex Harris was also called into action early on as he made a smart stop from a Grubb goal-bound attempt.
Tigers left-back Kieran Parselle opened the scoring in stunning fashion 18 minutes into the contest when he received the ball wide on the left and unleashed a powerful shot into the top corner from the edge of the box, albeit with a slight deflection helping the effort on its way.
Weston pressed the defenders well when out of possession, with Jake Reid, Jake Mawford and Tristan Plummer all appearing to press the opposition as a unit.
Tigers manager Tim Harris stated in his post-match interview that Weston were the side who had played the most football in Gloucester’s opening four games, and that’s exactly how Weston’s goal came. Grubb kept the ball well down the left, cutting inside to find Plummer sat just outside the box. His first-time pass was an inviting one and straight onto the run of Jake Lee, who was the subject of interest and an approach from Gloucester in the Summer, who then slammed the ball home at Harris’ near post.
Mawford looked for a goal just before half-time but dragged his shot after Grubb had found the playmaker in a good position.
The game lacked clear-cut chances at the start of the second half, with Plummer only managing to fire metres wide of the goal from the edge of the area on the hour mark.
With 15 minutes to go on the clock, Plummer got on the wrong side of his defender and earned a free-kick outside the box. There was only one man who Weston fans wanted to be stood over the ball, Dayle Grubb. With an air of expectancy both around the ground and on the pitch, the winger’s set-piece took a wild deflection and looped into the far corner.
Ben Seymour saw his point-blank effort saved by Harris after Grubb’s pull-back was deflected off a heel into the striker’s path before frustration kicked in.
For the second home game in a row, Weston found themselves down to ten men. Seagulls substitute Jarrad Welch received a first yellow card after squaring up to an opponent, despite appearing to be struck in the face with an elbow. Moments later, Welch lunged in to win the ball, albeit it being two-footed, and received his marching orders having won part of the ball in the challenge.
FT: Weston 2-1 Gloucester (Lee 31, Grubb 75-Parselle 18)
Weston XI: Grubb, Pope, Greenslade, Lee, Baldwin, Laird, Mawford (Welch 85), Kington (C), Reid (Seymour 75), Grubb, Plummer (Collins 75). Unused substitutes: Hill, Harper.
MOTM: Jake Lee – An assured performance from the heart of the midfield with regular forays forward into the opposition box resulted in a goal for himself. Jake has certainly started his season off positively.