A goal from Mat Villis gave Weston their first victory of the Blue Square South season.

WESTON-S-MARE 1

STAINES TOWN 0

WESTON recorded their first Blue Square South win of the season and consigned visitors Staines to their first defeat with a superb second-half display.

The win lifts Weston four places up the table from bottom to 19th.

In end-to-end play in the first half, Weston were first to show with Nat Pepperell having a cross cut out by visiting keeper Jack Turner on nine minutes, but 10 minutes later at the other end, Tony Garrod had a strong unmarked header well taken by Lloyd Irish from Staines’ first corner.

Louis-Rae Beadle went close for Staines on 24 minutes and before the break, Chas Hemmings, who put in a tremendous amount of work for no reward, was just over from Kane Ingram’s cross, while Ingram’s curling effort was just wide of Turner’s far post.

Early in the second half, Weston manager Craig Laird brought on Dayle Grubb for Ashley Kington and Ross Stearn for Ingram and the game changed dramatically with Weston in total control. Speedy runs by both substitutes upset the visiting defence who for much of the time relied on lengthy clearance kicks by Turner to try to set up attacks.

Jamie Price fed Hemmings on 69 minutes whose header forced Turner to turn the ball behind with a full-length save. Minutes later Grubb made a speedy penetrating run down the left and from his cross, Hemmings was just off target.

As Staines tried to get into the game, Irish made a good block to deny skipper Godfrey Elliott and substitute Louis Theopanous, on his debut from AFC Wimbledon, was just over.

Weston’s pressure paid off on 81 minutes when they forced two more corners and when the second was not properly cleared, Price crossed low into a crowded six-yard box and Mat Villis scrambled the ball over the line.

Just before the end, Grubb ended another penetrating run by firing inches wide with Turner beaten.

WESTON STATS

Goal: Weston, Villis (81).

Shots on target: Weston 6, Staines 3.

Shots off target: Weston 6, Staines 5.

Corners: Weston 4, Staines 7.

Offside: Weston 2, Staines 2.

Free kicks conceded: Weston 11, Staines 19.

Referee: Richard Kendall (Luton). Excellent game.

Bookings: Weston, Ingram. Staines, Shosanya, Wheeler, Kember-Smith.

Attendance: 181.

Weston squad: Irish, Price, Monks, Jamie Laird, Villis, Diallo, Kington (Grubb 57), Trowbridge, Hemmings, Ingram (Stearn 68), Pepperell. Subs (not used): Slocombe, McGregor, Callum Laird.