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Weston-super-Mare AFC - Match Reports

Match reports - Season 2007 - 2008

Fisher Athletic 3 - 1 Weston

18/08/2007 -League Game - 3:00pm

Cloudy

Although Weston came away from Champion Hill pointless after slipping to their first defeat of the season, the Seagulls can look back on this game with some confidence after matching their hosts most of the way, and if they had converted the chances they created in the first twenty minutes the game would have been out of reach of the current league leaders.

There is one marked difference between the Seagulls of today and the team of last season, this side always looks capable of scoring, this side will create chances, this side will not give up, as they showed in midweek when coming from behind twice at Hayes & Yeading to snatch a point. The positive attitude shown by Manager Tony Ricketts, in trying to keep the ball on the ground, playing positive, attractive football has obviously rubbed off on the lads who actually look as though they are enjoying their Saturday afternoons.

Weston were relieved to welcome back Craig Rand after the injury picked up last week and Ashan Holgate came through a pre-match fitness test on his knee to take his place in the side and he should have opened the scoring within twenty seconds of the start after a neat flick from Gareth Hopkins put him clear of the defence but for some reason the young striker chose to pass the ball inside instead of shooting and the chance was wasted. Moments later the Seagulls were awarded a free kick, Hopkins fed skipper Craig Loxton but his effort went just wide. On five minutes Loxton tested home keeper Simon Overland with a drive from just outside the area but the keeper was alert to the danger and smothered the ball.

Fisher's first real attempt on goal fell to Andre McCollin but his snap shot was off target then from another free kick Dean Grubb found Hopkins but again the chance flew wide, then Marc McGregor put Grubb clean through on goal but once again the effort was off target.

The hosts should have taken the lead on 25 minutes when a neat move caught out the Weston defence and McCollin slipped the ball across goal to leading scorer Jeff Goulding but he blazed wildly over the open goal. Straight away the Seagulls raced down to the other end but Loxton's woeful pass did not find Holgate who was standing completely unmarked inside the area.

Against the run of play Fisher opened the scoring on 39 minutes when Shaun Batt was put clean through and he rounded keeper Ryan Northmore to squeeze the ball in from a tight angle.

Weston began the second half with Grubb switched to the right and almost immediately he almost set up the equaliser with a teasing cross which Overland just managed to grab off the head of Hopkins, two minutes later and a thundering drive from Ben Willshire flew just over the Fisher bar.

With their next attack the hosts doubled their lead with another piece of slick passing, Kenny Braney fed Gavin Tomlin and he drew the Weston defence before putting McCollin through and he neatly jinked the ball over the head of the stranded Northmore.

Weston did not give up and within 8 minutes had halved the deficit, appearing to be no danger to the home goal the ball suddenly rebounded back into the area and Grubb reacted quickest to out pace the defender and slip the ball under Overland to give the Seagulls hope. Pushing the hosts onto the back foot, Holgate missed a chance when he shot over, McGregor then headed straight at keeper Overland following a corner and then the best chance to square the game came when substitute Aaron Wilson combined with Barry McConnell down the right but when the cross came over Hopkins headed straight at Overland from just 5 yards out. That miss was to prove costly as the Seagulls were caught out with a quick raid down the right, a defensive mix-up allowed the ball to find Batt, and although the Assistant referee flagged for an infringement the Referee allowed the advantage and Batt found time and space to fire beyond Northmore and into the bottom left hand corner. In the aftermath of the Referee's decision McGregor was booked for protesting.

Att: 210 Despite the defeat Weston have made a positive start to the season and will be looking to get back to winning ways on Saturday when they entertain Sutton United at the Woodspring Stadium, Kick Off is 3.00pm

Game Statistics

Fisher Athletic scorers - Batt 39, 81. McCollin 49
Weston-super-Mare scorers - Grubb 57
Shots on target -
Shots off target -
Corners -
Offsides -
Freekicks -
Bookings - 1
Refereee - M. Mclaughlin (luton)

Overland, Jackson, Plumain, Bouadji, Tozer (Thompson 29), Beaney, Hickie, Batt (Gaynor 82), Goulding, Tomlin, McCollin (Pinnock 84) Subs not used Musunga, Heeroo.

Team Summary

Player	Played	Goals	Yellow	Red	MOTM	Ratings
Ryan Northmore [Goalkeeper]	Full Game					Official: 4/5 Fans: 225/365 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Ben Willshire [Defender]	Full Game					Official: 4/5 Fans: 242/380 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Barry McConnell [Midfield]	Full Game					Official: 4/5 Fans: 234/380 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Craig Rand [Defender]	Subbed Off					Official: 4/5 Fans: 176/295 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Billy Clark [Defender]	Full Game					Official: 4/5 Fans: 182/305 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Andy Robertson [Defender]	Full Game					Official: 4/5 Fans: 198/330 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Craig Loxton [Midfield]	Subbed Off					Official: 3/5 Fans: 222/360 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Marc McGregor [Forward]	Full Game					Official: 4/5 Fans: 187/315 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Gareth Hopkins [Forward]	Full Game					Official: 3/5 Fans: 213/350 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Ashan Holgate [Midfield]	Subbed Off					Official: 3/5 Fans: 211/360 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Dean Grubb [Midfield]	Full Game	1				Official: 5/5 Fans: 254/415 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Andrew Chapman [Defender]	Subbed On					Official: 3/5 Fans: 189/335 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Aaron Wilson [Midfield]	Subbed On					Official: 3/5 Fans: 182/300 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Lewis Powell [Midfield]	Subbed On					Official: 3/5 Fans: 223/375 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5

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