A long-range strike from skipper Dayle Grubb saw the Seagulls win away at Winchester City 1-0.
Grubb had the game’s first opportunity from 25 yards out when he turned on a Jame Dodd pass and fired narrowly over, before Dodd was again the architect when finding Scott Laird on the left whose shot across goal fizzed past the far post. Jordan Bastin then had a low attempt held by Charlie Philpott after the winger had cut inside onto his left.
Bastin had another attempt when he brought down a Winchester clearance and cut along the edge of the box before firing a low effort toward goal, Philpott again down to hold. Reuben Reid had his first attempt of the goal when stooping to nod a Laird cross toward goal, his header clearing the bar however. Grubb then had a driven free-kick gathered low down by the home goalkeeper as Weston kept up the pressure.
The pressure was to tell nine minutes before the break however when Laird played a pass into Reid, the striker having his back to goal. Laying the ball off to Grubb 25 yards out, the skipper’s low drive beat Philpott for pace and nestled in the back of the net to break the deadlock.
Simba Mlambo then had a low shot toward the near post kept out by the feet of Luke Purnell after he had evaded the challenge of Sam Avery, before down the other end Philpott pushed away a James Dodd volley after he had met a Jay Murray pull-back.
In the second period, half-time substitute Elis Watts had a shot deflected behind for a corner before the winger’s set-piece delivery struck the outside of the post and his follow-up attempt from Laird’s layoff was held by Philpott. Reid then fired over from 25 yards after turning his man outside the area.
Reid’s header back across goal from a Grubb free-kick narrowly missed creeping inside the far post, before Watts had a shot toward Philpott’s near post held by the home keeper after being found on the right by Grubb. In the game’s final attempt, Jackson had a swerving strike beaten away by Philpott after being found by Laird inside the area.
FT: Winchester 0-1 Weston (Grubb 36)
Attendance: 274.
Weston XI: Purnell, Murray, Laird, Jagger Cane, Pope, Avery, Dodd, Jackson, Grubb (C), Bastin (Watts HT), Reid (Mehew 89). Unused substitutes: Coppin, Williams, Humphries.
MOTM: Jacob Jagger Cane.