A midweek relegation tussle at St Albans City was the perfect chance for Weston to escape the clutches of the bottom three, but it was the Saints’ Louie Theophanous who had the last laugh on the night.

After a morale-boosting win over play-off chasers Dartford at the weekend, in which Scott Wilson’s first-half brace was enough to see off the Kent visitors, Ryan Northmore’s men were brought back down to earth at Clarence Park on Tuesday night.

Wilson was again on target to give them the advantage just after the half-hour mark, but Michael Thalassitis’ 69th-minute diving header drew the hosts level, before they sealed the points when Theophanous – who has previously forged a career as a Cristiano Ronaldo body-double – slotted in from close range late on.

St Albans had picked up just six points from their previous 12 games in the Vanarama South, and came into the game seven points behind Weston, but controlled the encounter from the off.

On-loan Peterborough winger Harry Anderson looked dangerous in the early stages, delivering a number of teasing crosses from which Theophanous and Charlie MacDonald forced good saves from Weston goalkeeper Luke Purnell, while Pat Keary’s block ensured another goal-bound effort fizzed behind.

Despite being boxed in for much of the opening period, Weston grabbed the lead 10 minutes before the break, when Tristan Plummer burst in from the right to feed Wilson.

The former Bristol City striker has been in fine form for the Seagulls since the turn of the year, netting eight times in the previous six games, and made it nine in seven with a confident finish past Joe Welch.

After the break, Weston found themselves back under the cosh, and the Saints pulled themselves level through a well-worked move, with Thalassitis firing home after a cross from the left.

They kept up the pressure, and completed the turnaround with eight minutes remaining, as Theophanous’ mazy run saw him condemn Weston to their fourth defeat from five, and leave them two points from safety with 12 games to go.