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Weston-super-Mare AFC - Match Reports

Match reports - Season 2007 - 2008

Bishops 2 - Weston 2

23/02/2008 -Blue Square South - 3:00pm

Sun & Clouds

Weston returned from Hertfordshire with a well deserved point on Saturday but the afternoon was tainted after a serious injury to full back Barry McConnell who had to be treated in hospital for a deep gash on his right leg which required ten stitches. The injury is likely to keep him out of action for the next few weeks. Both sides also played the entire second half with 10 men after Curtis Ujah and Roy Essandoh were sent off for violent conduct 5 minutes before the interval.

Manager Tony Ricketts gave a full debut to new signing Elvis Ewruje and he put in a man of the match performance as he added some much needed guile to the midfield, stroking the ball around and also scoring the opening goal. McConnell was brought back into the starting line-up along with Gareth Hopkins, and with loan signing Wilfried Domoraud leading the attack, Weston looked an entirely different side to the one that had succumbed to Bromley seven days earlier.

The home side started brightly and Ujah had to be alert in the very first minute to clear away a dangerous cross, but then Weston began to show their worth as they took the game to their hosts, Marc McGregor fed Domoraud out on the right and when he laid the ball back to Ewruje the diminutive midfielder shot narrowly wide. Domoraud then shook off his marker but also missed the target. Domoraud then won a free kick which was floated over by McGregor only for Aaron Wilson to head over. McGregor then put Domoraud through on goal and his persistence almost forced keeper Andy Young into an error but the home side managed to clear the ball. McGregor then expertly evaded a lunging challenge only to fire across goal. Hopkins and Domoraud then combined to free up Wilson but again the effort was wide of the mark. Nothing so far had been seen of the home side and it was no surprise when the Seagulls took the lead on 31 minutes. Wilson was brought down just outside the area and up stepped Ewruje to crack a left foot shot which although taking a slight deflection on the way, gave Young in the home goal no chance of stopping.

Back came the home side and keeper Ryan Northmore came to Weston's rescue as he flew to his right to palm away a shot from Tom Williamson and then the Seagulls had a let off when a drive from Loui Fazakerley came crashing back off the post from all of 30 yards. Weston were not to be outdone and Wilson saw his firm header held under the bar by Young.

On 40 minutes both sides were reduced to 10 men when an altercation between Ujah and Essandoh, following a tackle from behind by the Weston centre back, produced red cards from Referee Ashvin Degnarain, the players continued their feud down the tunnel and had to be separated by stewards.

The second half was only 4 minutes old when the home side [produced an unlikely equaliser. A looping cross cum shot from out on the left from Fazakerley completely deceived Northmore and he could only watch as the ball sailed over his head and nestled in the far corner. The home side took heart from this and began to bombard the Weston defence for the next 15 minutes and on 64 minutes they gained the lead when Weston tried to play for offside, they were caught out by a through ball from Fazakerley, leading scorer Greg Pearson was on the ball in a flash and he drew Northmore before slipping the ball under him and into the net.

This appeared to spur on Weston and they then began to regain control of the game, finding the kind of form that has eluded them over the past few weeks. Ewruje was controlling midfield and the movement off the ball was causing all sorts of problems for the home defence and it came as no surprise when they equalised on 76 minutes with the best move of the game. Substitute James Palmer found Ewruje, he slipped the ball out to the edge of the area where it was neatly controlled by Domoraud, he forced his way passed his marker and drilled a low left foot drive between Young and his near post to open his account for the Seagulls.

Weston then went looking for the winner but with just 6 minutes remaining came the injury to McConnell, courtesy of a late challenge which resulted in a sickening thud being clearly audible from 15 yards away. Play was held up as he was treated on the pitch, before being stretchered off and taken to hospital in Harlow.

Weston can take heart from this display, they have maintained the 10 point gap between themselves and the relegation spots. the two new signings have given a much needed boost to the squad. Hopefully a further display like this one will be on show on Saturday when the Seagulls entertain struggling St. Albans City at the Woodspring Stadium. Kick off is 3.00pm.

Att: 442

Game Statistics

Bishop's Stortford scorers - Fazakerley 49, Pearson 64
Weston-super-Mare scorers - Ewruje 31, Domoraud 76
Shots on target -
Shots off target -
Corners -
Offsides -
Freekicks -
Bookings - 3/3
Refereee - A. Degnarain

Young, Jones, Taylor, Mason (Langer 74), Gillman, Stanbrook, Fazakerley, Williamson, Pearson (Lunan 74) Essandoh, Deen (Gaisie 90). Subs not used: Goodacre,Welch.

Team Summary

Player	Played	Goals	Yellow	Red	MOTM	Ratings
Ryan Northmore [Goalkeeper]	Full Game					Official: 3/5 Fans: 1453/2345 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Mike Green [Defender]	Full Game					Official: 3/5 Fans: 1146/1920 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Barry McConnell [Defender]	Subbed Off					Official: 3/5 Fans: 1353/2130 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Curtis Ujah [Defender]	Full Game					Official: 3/5 Fans: 1123/1890 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Andy Robertson [Defender]	Full Game					Official: 4/5 Fans: 1140/1895 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Elvis Ewruje [Midfield]	Full Game	1				Official: 5/5 Fans: 1132/1860 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Dean Grubb [Midfield]	Subbed Off					Official: 2/5 Fans: 1108/1865 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Marc McGregor [Midfield]	Full Game					Official: 4/5 Fans: 1082/1810 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Wilfried Domoraud [Forward]	Full Game	1				Official: 4/5 Fans: 1283/2090 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Gareth Hopkins [Forward]	Full Game					Official: 4/5 Fans: 1249/1995 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Aaron Wilson [Midfield]	Subbed Off					Official: 3/5 Fans: 1247/2035 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
James Palmer [Forward]	Subbed On					Official: 3/5 Fans: 1174/1945 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Ben Willshire [Midfield]	Subbed On					Official: 3/5 Fans: 1040/1755 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Craig Loxton [Midfield]	Subbed On					Official: 3/5 Fans: 1166/2080 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5

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