Weston fell to a third successive defeat in all competitions after letting an early lead slip on Tuesday night.

Seagulls boss Scott Bartlett made two changes from Saturday’s FA Cup exit at National League side Eastleigh, as Lewis Hall and Aaron Parsons came in for Ryan Jones and Greg Tindle.

Mike Symons was given the captain’s armband and played a part as his side took the lead after only eight minutes.

Parsons played the ball out wide to Hall, who clipped it on for Symons to chest down for Dayle Grubb to beat his man and curl into the net from the edge of the area.

Mullings headed wide for the home side, under pressure from Keiron Thomas on the quarter-hour mark, before Scott Laird’s cross was half-cleared to Thomas, whose first-time effort from 25 yards flew over the crossbar.

Sam Avery made a telling challenge to deny Fitchett in the box on 22 minutes then played a long free-kick up to Symons, who teed up Laird to volley over from 20 yards.

And Weston went close to a second on 41 minutes when Hall was played in by Grubb and saw his shot towards the near post pushed behind by Alexis Junior.

The Salisbury keeper also denied James Waite, after Grubb and Jacob Jagger-Cane had combined, but the hosts then drew level in first-half stoppage time as Benson was tripped by Chris Knowles and Charlie Davis converted from the penalty spot.

Luke Purnell pushed a Benson free-kick over the bar 13 minutes after the restart, but Weston fell behind before the hour mark as Marvin Brooks bundled the ball over the line from a corner.

Grubb saw a curling free-kick held by the Salisbury keeper on 72 minutes, before Knowles made way for Lloyd Humphries.

And Laird had a free-kick palmed away by Alexis Junior on 84 minutes, before Matt and Ryan Jones replaced Jagger-Cane and Hall for the closing stages.

And Weston had strong claims for a penalty turned down moments later as the ball appeared to hit the arm of a Salisbury defender as Ryan Jones tried to beat him.

Parsons met a Grubb corner at the far post in the final minute of normal time, only to see his downward header fly straight at the keeper, as the visitors finished empty-handed.

Bartlett’s men will now turn their focus to their FA Trophy tie against Larkhall Athletic at the Optima Stadium on Saturday, having beaten them 6-0 in the FA Cup earlier this month.

Weston: Purnell, Thomas, Hall (R Jones 85), Knowles (Humphries 79), Avery, Parsons, Jagger-Cane (M Jones 85), Laird, Symons, Grubb, Waite.

Unused subs: Tindle, Hendy.