Weston lost to Gosport Borough by the odd goal in poor conditions at the Woodspring Stadium.

WESTON-S-MARE 0

GOSPORT BOROUGH 1

THIS Skrill South game, the first-ever between the clubs, was played in appalling weather conditions that made any chance of decent football out of the question.

A gale-force swirling wind accompanied by at times torrential rain made life miserable for players and spectators.

Fans, sitting in the back row of the main stand, were drenched by the rain blown in, with many seeking shelter in the clubhouse.

Weston were without leading scorer Tristan Plummer, who had signed for Conference Premier Aldershot Town, but they welcomed back Naby Diallo from suspension, while long-term injured Kane Ingram was on the bench.

Plummer joined the club on the understanding that if a higher standard club came in for him he would move, and he greatly impressed the Hampshire outfit in the two FA Trophy games and gave him a full-time contract. All at the club thank him for his services and wish him all the best in the future.

The Seagulls had the better of the first-half play, forcing a couple of early corners and with Ashley Kington firing narrowly over from a free kick. Chas Hemmings tried an audacious lob from almost halfway was that unfortunately bounced over the Gosport crossbar and when central defender Ian Richardson mis-headed a clearance, Hemmings was just beaten to the bounce by keeper Nathan Ashmore.

Just before the interval whistle, Hemmings was put through by Kington, but Ashmore brought off a superb double save at the expense of a corner.

The vital goal came three minutes into the second half when Gosport skipper Jamie Brown, just inside the Weston half, punted the ball high into the air in the general direction of the home goal and the wind took it over keeper Lloyd Irish’s head and it dropped just under the crossbar.

After that setback, Weston again took control, with Diallo, Kington and Dayle Grubb bossing the midfield and they forced a string of corners.

But they failed to break down a stubborn defence with Ashmore making some good saves, one in particular to deny Grubb’s swerving effort.

WESTON STATS

Goal: Gosport, Brown (48).

Shots on target: Weston 3, Gosport 1.

Shots off target: Weston 6, Gosport 5.

Corners: Weston 7, Gosport 0.

Offsides: Weston 0, Gosport 6.

Free kicks conceded: Weston 7, Gosport 8.

Referee: Marvyn Amphlett (Kidderminster). Both he and his assistants did well in the trying conditions.

Bookings: Weston, Walker. Gosport, Brown, Sills.

Attendance: 202.

Weston squad: Irish, Ash (Knowles 74), Slocombe, Walker (Camper 90), Jamie Laird, Gregson, Grubb, Diallo, Hemmings, Kington, Fiddes. Subs (not used): Callum Laird, Ingram, Brown.

ON Saturday, Weston travel to Fleetwood and hope to avenge a 6-0 thrashing handed out by the Kent-based club when they met last October. The party will set out at 9am.

Weston will be on their travels again on Tuesday when they meet Maidenhead United (7.45pm, setting out at 3.30pm). When they last met in September, the game ended scoreless.