WESTON picked up another valuable Blue Square South point against resolute opponents who are four places below the Seagulls in the league table, but have seven games in hand.

WESTON-S-MARE 1

HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE 1

WESTON picked up another valuable Blue Square South point against resolute opponents who are four places below the Seagulls in the league table, but have seven games in hand.

Manager Craig Laird had the luxury of an almost full squad for the first time in several weeks, only missing Nat Pepperell. However, he chose to start with the side that did well at Bishop’s Stortford in midweek.

They started by playing the same attractive football, bringing the ball out of defence, through the midfield and giving good service to the attack.

On 10 minutes they created their first chance when Sahr Kabba burst through on the right, only for visiting keeper Aaron Howe to come quickly off his line to block with his legs and Nabi Diallo was over from the rebound.

Havant, with former Weston favourite Manny Williams leading the attack, forced a couple of corners, but Weston keeper Lloyd Irish was never troubled. The visitor’s best chance fell to Mustafa Tiryaki on the stroke of half-time, but he shot high and wide from a good position after getting through the defence.

Havant came close on 60 minutes when Irish tipped Giuseppe Sole’s dangerous cross to safety, and a minute later at the other end, Kabba forced Howe to concede Weston’s only corner of the game.

Tiryaki was off target again on 69 minutes and minutes later, Kabba outpaced giant defender Sam Pearce and rounded Howe, but fired into the side netting from a narrow angle.

With the game looking to be heading for the second scoreless draw between the sides this season, Sole picked up possession just inside the Weston half and burst unchallenged almost to the six-yard box and beat Irish low down to his right.

This stirred Weston into action and barely a minute later, Kabba got possession in the Havant penalty area and wriggled his way past the defender to score on the near post.

With minutes to go, Sole had another strong run at the Weston goal, but this time fired straight at Irish.

WESTON STATS

Goals: Weston, Kabb (84). Havant, Sole (83).

Shots on target: Weston 1, Havant 3.

Shots off target: Weston 3, Havant 4.

Corners: Weston 1, Havant 4.

Offsides: Weston 1, Havant 2.

Free kicks conceded: Weston 12, Havant 21.

Referee: Kevin Morris (Hereford). Started well, but seemed to lose control in the second half.

Bookings: Weston, Ingram, Slocombe, Diallo. Havant, Hinshelwood, Tiryaki, Hopkinson.

Attendance: 205.

Weston squad: Irish, Price, Slocombe, Rand, Villis, Kirk, Ingram (Laird 82), Porter, Kabba, Dayle Grubb, Diallo (Trowbridge 70). Subs (not used): Duharty, Dean Grubb, Gilbert.

ON Saturday, Weston have another home game when Woking will provide the opposition (3pm).

There will be an open forum at the club on Sunday, starting at 11am, when supporters are invited to ask questions and offer suggestions to the chairman, Paul Bliss, club directors and team manager Craig Laird and his assistant Jon Haile.