Weston Take Point In Agonising Draw With Chelmsford
In a game which saw Weston snatch a point from Chelmsford, a team tipped for the playoffs, the Seagulls came close on occasions, it was a match where they were at times the better side and very strong both defensively as well as going forward.
Weston came out the blocks and started as the better side with their free flowing passing in the centre of the park. Weston could have been ahead in the 8th minute when debutant Gethyn Hill played a pass through to Brad Ash, who was put one-on-one with the Chelmsford keeper Ross Fitzsimons getting a touch on the ball, pushing it into the corner with Brad Ash was ruled offside despite appearing onside from the stands, with the home fans making their voices heard.
Chelmsford offered little when going forward apart from a few set pieces which were easily cleared or claimed by keeper Luke Purnell, putting in one of his better performances of the season.
Captain Dayle Grubb put in another impressive shift having the Chelmsford defenders double up on him whenever he got the ball. Midway through the first half, Grubb again proved a threat when he cut inside onto his stronger right foot, seeing his goalbound shot was tipped around the post by Fitzsimons.
Recent defensive signing Rollin Menayese put in a solid shift throughout, providing a last-ditch tackle on the edge of the box minutes after the Grubb chance to deny Elliot Buchanan from driving into space.
Westons Jamie Chamberlain worked the ball well on his playing debut, a couple of minutes before half-time a cross from the recent signing from Torquay was half-cleared by Chelmsford captain Christopher Bush, and Ash, on the edge of the area, saw his curling left footed shot caught by Fitzsimons.
In the second half, Weston again looked impressive all over the pitch. Chamberlain, Hill and Ash worked their socks off chasing down opposing defenders with MOTM Lloyd Humphries and Jacob Cane covering loads of ground in the midfield. Jason Pope and Chris Barker played well as the Full-Backs with Aden Baldwin and Menayese refusing to give the Chelmsford strikers any space.
The second half was the complete opposite of the first half. Instead of being end-to-end and energetic, the game was mainly centrally focused, with long balls being overhit out of play by both teams.
The only real chance in the second half fell to Chelmsford won a header from a corner and Purnell was able to scramble across goal and tip the ball away for another corner.
FT: Weston 0-0 Chelmsford
MOTM: Lloyd Humphries
Weston XI: Purnell, Pope, Barker (Laird 64), Humphries, Baldwin, Menayese, Chamberlain (Bird 77), Cane, Ash, Grubb (C), Hill. Unused substitutes: Moran, Kington, Mohamed.