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Weston-super-Mare AFC - Match Reports

Match reports - Season 2008 - 2009

[2007 - 2008 Match Reports] [2008 - 2009 Match Reports]

Weston-super-Mare 2 Bishop's Stortford 1

09/08/2008 - Blue Square South Division - 3:00pm

Rain

Weston got their season off to the perfect start with this hard fought narrow victory over their Hertfordshire visitors. With both sides struggling to find a way through for the decisive goal it took something special to ensure all three points were in Weston's hands at the end of the game and Assistant Manager Andy Gurney provided a touch of magic eight minutes from the end to send the home fans happy.

Weston introduced new signings Ben Wells, Darren Mullings and Marvin Brown into the starting line-up, with other new boys Ryan Havard, Ryan Paddock and Ryan Harrison on the bench. Still missing long-term injury worry Craig Rand, suspended Mark McKeever and Michael Green who was attending his sisters wedding, the Seagulls can be fairly satisfied with the result, showing grit and determination at the end as they defended their slight advantage.

Weston made the first opening when Brown and Ben Willshire combined to set up Marc Mcgregor but his effort was deflected away for the game's first corner. The visitors showed their intentions when a break by Piers Wixon broke but his shot cannoned off his team-mate Danny Harris and flew wide. Weston keeper Ryan Northmore then had to get down quickly to his left to keep out a low drive.

The Seagulls should have opened the scoring on the quarter hour mark when a mistake by Precious Koko let in Brown but hesitation on the strikers part allowed Koko time to recover and make a saving tackle. Brown then chased a long through ball but keeper Nicky Eyre was quickest to the ball and cleared the danger.

Weston skipper Charlie Comyn-Platt then mis hit his pass to Ben Willshire allowing Harris in, his cross was headed wide of an open goal by Peter Dean. Minutes later and Craig Edwards wasted another chance for the visitors when he screwed his effort wide of the post.

The opening goal came on 37 minutes when good work down the right by Dean Grubb saw him wriggle his way into the box, looking up he picked out Brown with a pin point cross and he made no mistake from 8 yards.

Just before the break the visitors lost midfielder George Jermy with a hamstring injury, Dee Okijie coming on to replace him.

Weston began the second half in determined mood and Brown was unlucky to have been adjudged offside as he sped through on goal then Northmore was called into action again to tip over a back header from Harris, the resulting corner was finally cleared by Ashan Holgate. Substitute Okijie then cut inside Wells only to fire his shot wide.

On 62 minutes the visitors drew level when Comyn-Platt was harshly penalised when attempting to clear the ball, referee Chris Powell ruling that in attempting to head the ball away in a challenge with Tom Champion, the Weston skipper had used his arms unfairly. Wixon stepped up to take the spot kick and coolly sent Northmore the wrong way to bring the sides level.

Weston then made their first substitution, replacing the struggling Marc McGregor with local boy Havard and he immediately set about unsettling the visitors with his tenacity, chasing every ball and not allowing the defence to settle, it was his determination that led to what was to prove to be the winning goal. On 82 minutes his persistence saw him go past two defenders only to be brought down on the edge of the area. Assistant Manager Andy Gurney took his time with the free kick but picked his spot perfectly to place the ball wide of Eyre and into the top left hand corner. The visitors then produced some intense pressure on the Weston goal but unlike last season this new breed of Seagull held firm, getting bodies in the way of shots and refusing to crack, none more so than skipper Comyn-Platt, leading by example he twice denied Okijie by throwing his body in front of the ball. In the end a well deserved victory for the Seagulls, yes they will have sterner tests this season, but this time around they appear to have added steel to their armoury and may not be such a pushover as proved to be on occasions last season.

Game Statistics

Weston-super-Mare scorers - Brown 37, Gurney 82.
Bishops Stordford scorers - Wixon 62 (pen)
Shots on target - 2/2
Shots off target - 3/4
Corners - 3/4
Offsides - 2/1
Freekicks - 15/14
Bookings - 1/0
Refereee - Chris Powell (Poole).

Eyre, Jones, Koko, Champion, Goodacre, King, Wixon, Edwards, Dean, Harris (Kyprianou 70), Jermy (Okijie 43). Subs Not Used Hopkins, Hasler, Webster.

Team Summary

Rate The Players
On the far right of the table below you can vote for the players by dragging the stars and releasing.

Player	Played	Goals	Yellow	Red	MOTM	Ratings
Ryan Northmore [Goalkeeper]	Full Game					Official: 4/5 Fans: 1106/1865 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Ben Willshire [Defender]	Subbed Off					Official: 4/5 Fans: 1093/1815 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Marc McGregor [Forward]	Subbed Off					Official: 4/5 Fans: 1051/1745 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Darren Mullings [Defender]	Full Game					Official: 4/5 Fans: 1004/1665 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Andrew Gurney [Defender]	Full Game	1				Official: 5/5 Fans: 967/1620 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Charlie Comyn-Platt [Defender]	Full Game					Official: 4/5 Fans: 1000/1635 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Ben Wells [Midfield]	Full Game					Official: 4/5 Fans: 942/1545 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
James Palmer [Midfield]	Subbed Off					Official: 3/5 Fans: 983/1645 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Ashan Holgate [Midfield]	Full Game					Official: 3/5 Fans: 998/1645 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Marvin Brown [Forward]	Full Game	1				Official: 4/5 Fans: 1008/1655 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Dean Grubb [Midfield]	Full Game					Official: 4/5 Fans: 936/1535 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Ryan Harvard [Forward]	Subbed On					Official: 4/5 Fans: 949/1565 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Mark Armstrong [Defender]	Subbed On					Official: 3/5 Fans: 997/1590 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5
Ryan Paddock [Defender]	Subbed On					Official: 3/5 Fans: 972/1600 Vote: Currently 4/5 Stars. 1 2 3 4 5

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