A gala Friday evening at the MoneyMates Hand Stadium saw a large turnout from both towns, with a crowd of 327 entertained by local group The Bury Boys, an enticing barbecue, and a very entertaining close friendly between the two local rivals, writes Paul Davis.
National League South Weston made this a game of two halves with a difference by playing two completely different sides in each half, as Seagulls manager Scott Rogers tested his whole squad plus six trialists.
After a goalless first half, the home side grabbed the lead just after the hour with a well-taken individual effort from Jacob Sloggett, which they held for 10 minutes until Jake Hicks smashed in a spectacular equaliser.
Weston made their intentions clear from the start with a series of forays into the Clevedon half.
James Dunn saved an early header from Ollie Hulbert, James Wakefield blocked a Brad Ash effort, and then headed Dan Martin’s corner away, and Dunn saved again from Jason Pope.
But Clevedon were far from out of it, and Weston keeper Max Harris pushed over good efforts from former Seagulls Nick McCootie and Ben Griffith.
Good build-up down the Weston left saw Ash’s shot from George Robeston’s cross pushed round the post by the diving Dunn on the half hour with Dunn then punching out Liam Sercombe’s corner.
Half-chances then came at both ends.
A snapshot from out wide grazed the outside of Dunn’s post, but at the other end, Harris was quick off his line to deny McCootie as he chased down a ball over the top.
Wakefield, meanwhile, was alert to block Hulbert’s cross into the box, and the Seasiders' Sloggett saw a shot blocked in the area.
The final action saw Dunn racing out to head a long ball clear, so at half-time it remained goalless.
With 11 changes, Weston made a quick start to the second period, and Dunn was soon in action with a great dive to push Luke Coulson’s powerful effort round the post.
Coulson took the resulting corner, and Dunn’s fingertips pushed Jacob Jagger-Cane’s shot onto the bar.
Will Dawes then caught Clevedon on the back foot, intercepting a pass in midfield and racing clear, only to clear the far post with his shot.
But just past the hour, Clevedon took the lead when Sloggett won the ball from Archie Taylor, rode a couple of challenges, and placed his shot beyond keeper Jacob Glover just inside the near post.
Weston set about getting back in the game, and the equaliser came on 71 minutes in a move started and finished by Jake Hicks when he won the ball to feed Michael Smith, overlapping down the left, and got on the end of Smith’s cut-back to smash an unstoppable shot past Dunn from 12 yards.
"As the heat started to take its toll, both were happy with a 1-1 draw, Weston dominating for long periods and getting a good 45 minutes from all the players in the sapping conditions, and Clevedon, who defended well for 90 minutes, with keeper Dunn outstanding and also creating chances on the break."
