Weston-super-Mare AFC fought valiantly in their last league game of the season against promotion chasing Worthing, but lost 4-2 after the long journey across the south coast.
The Seagulls were at the end of a ridiculously hectic schedule to finish the season having played three times in the past seven days before Saturday’s game, which included mid-week fixtures on Tuesday and Thursday.
Opponents Worthing were also sure to be well up for the fight as they sat third in the table and would be looking to gain home field advantage for their play-off run.
Worthing understandably looked fresher than the visiting Seagulls and started off quick, an early Max Harris save was needed to deny home team striker Brad Dolaghan, but the Weston keeper’s save led to a deadly counter attack in only the 4th minute.
Bailer Kempster was released down the left flank and laid it off to midfielder Jacob Jagger Cane, whose left footed effort curled into the top right corner of the net giving Worthing keeper Ollie Wright no chance and Weston an early 1-0 lead.
The Rebels didn’t take long to answer though as five minutes later Dolaghan converted Jack Spong’s ball from the left-hand side into the back of the next, although with a hint of hand ball, levelling the scores after nine minutes.
The goals kept coming thick and fast at the Sussex Transport Community Stadium, The Rebels scoring again in the 11th minute with Spong becoming the scorer, courtesy of an Ollie Pearce cross.
Weston brought the scores back to even again to make it four goals in 21 minutes.
This time a long ball from the superb Harris bounced in the opposition box and allowed forward Jamie Soule to make a nuisance of himself and force an error from home defender Joel Colbran, who poked the ball past his own keeper to make the score 2-2.
Harris continued to earn his deserved acclaim with a fantastic double save from both Dolaghan and Pearce when it looked likely that Worthing would regain the lead.
Eventually, The Rebels’ pressure told when Worthing got themselves back in front. The home side had a free-kick just outside the area and Pearce exquisitely curled the ball home for his 40th league goal of the campaign, sending the teams in from a whirlwind half with Worthing 3-2 up.
The Seagulls came out in the second half willing to attack again and has a good chance to equalise when Soule got in behind Worthing’s back line, but Wright was there to make the save.
Amazingly no goals were scored up until the 65th minute, when Worthing doubled their lead through Colbran who made up for his previous own goal after his effort looped into the Weston net to make it 4-2.
The Seagulls continued to fight until the end and Jagger Cane almost found the net again to bring his team back into the game, but his goal bound effort was cleared off the line in what was Weston’s last real effort on goal.
Weston may have left Worthing as 4-2 losers, but after a long season and a hellish end to the schedule, they can be proud of their performance and their first season back in Step 2 football.
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