MATCH PREVIEW: SEAGULLS WELCOME THE SPORTS

Weston welcome Eastbourne tomorrow in their final 2016/17 Woodspring league encounter.

Weston welcome an Eastbourne Borough side who are currently sitting comfortably mid-table in what will be the final home game played at the Woodspring Stadium this season.

Weston lost their previous league outing, away to St.Albans on Easter Monday, by 3-0. But Scott Bartlett’s side are determined to put on a show in the penultimate league game of the campaign.

Ahead of the clash Scott commented “It’s our last home game of the season and we are looking forward to it. The players trained very well last night and are under no illusions that we are in the middle of a rebuilding project. The first part is done now we are safe, everyone in our squad has something to play for which is the way it should be.”

Eastbourne currently sit 12th in the league and after losing start striker Elliot Romain to National League side Dagenham & Redbridge last month, they seem to have put that particular loss behind them as they sit 8th in the form table, having won two out of their last four games. Eastbourne have scored 13 goals, but conceded nine in those four games, so Saturday’s match could potentially see goals at either end.
Eastbourne also boast central midfielder Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain in their ranks, brother of Arsenal star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Christian’s dad, Mark Chamberlain, represented Portsmouth, Stoke, Port Vale & England in the 1980’s-1990’s with Christian’s uncle, Neville Chamberlain, turning out for Port Vale and Mansfield Town in his time as a professional footballer.

The last time these sides met was back in November, where Weston won in a seven-goal thriller, 4-3 in the away leg of this fixture.

Brian Dutton nodded Eastbourne ahead before Weston’s loanee Aden Baldwin slammed home a shot on the turn. Current Dagenham striker Romain nodded in for 2-1 after coming on as a first-half substitute before a clinical counter attack saw the ever-reliable Dayle Grubb get his name on the scoresheet. Taylor then proceeded to slam home a half-volley almost immediately, with Weston equalising once again through a Jon Moran toe-poke. The Seagulls stole all three points when Dayle Grubb smashed home a volley to secure the first league win of Scott Bartlett’s reign, which was also Tommy Anderson’s Weston debut.