Alex Fletcher marked his Weston-super-Mare AFC debut with a goal as the Seagulls came from behind to secure a place in the third round of the FA Trophy at The Optima Stadium this afternoon (Saturday).
Gary Lockyer stunned the hosts with a wonderful strike after barely a minute had been played to put the Wands in front.
But to Weston’s credit they kept going and grabbed their well-deserved equaliser through Jordan Bastin to make it 1-1 at half-time.
Lloyd Humphries put Scott Bartlett’s side ahead after the break when his header squirmed under visiting goalkeeper Shaun Crowley.
Fletcher then gave the fans the moment they had been hoping for when he slid home to score at the back post and put the game out of Wanderers’ reach with his first goal since his departure from Bath City.
Marlon Jackson made it four when he raced onto Rex Mannings’ pass to secure a comfortable day at the office.
Scott Bartlett made one change from his side’s 9-0 win over Hengrove Athletic in the Somerset Premier Cup with Fletcher named in the side in place of Oscar Collins.
But it was the visitors who stunned the Seagulls with the opening goal after 55 seconds when Lockyer picked up a long ball before he curled home with a first-time effort into the top corner from 25-yards-out.
Sam Avery headed over Robbie Willmott’s corner and Jackson’s strike was pushed behind by Crowley as Weston pushed forward in search of a leveller which came in the 31st minute.
Fletcher was urged to shoot by the home supporters and he obliged but he saw his effort blocked by Jamie Mascoll but the loose ball fell into the path of Bastin around six-yards-out. The winger got the ball out of his feet, while showing great strength to hold off three defenders before firing the ball into the roof of the net.
With half-time fast approaching Jason Pope nearly put Weston in front of stoppage time but his effort thundered off the crossbar just before the break.
But the Seagulls did go in front with two goals in two four minutes.
The first came from a corner as Marlon Jackson picked the ball up and he passed to Jacob Jagger-Cane, which flicked of Humphries and slipped under the body of Crowley.
Fletcher then finished off a lovely flowing move involving Wilmott and Mannings with the latter playing the ball across goal into the path of the forward to slide in at the far post to score his first goal for over a year.
Mannings was involved again with Weston’s fourth in the 73rd minute when he once again selflessly squared the ball across goal and Jackson got on the end of it to send the ball home to make it 4-1 and seal the win.
Lee, Humphries (C), Avery, Wilmott, Pope, Jagger-Cane, Morton, Mannings, (Collins 85) Bastin, Jackson, (Reid 75) Fletcher (Edwards 70)
Attendance: 452
