Weston’s weakened team conceded a Blue Square South double to promotion hopefuls Dover.

WESTON-S-MARE 0

DOVER ATHLETIC 3

WESTON’S weakened team conceded a Blue Square South double to promotion hopefuls Dover. The defeat sees the Seagulls slip to seventh in the table while Dover move up to third.

Weston were without influential central defender Matt Villis, who was serving a one-game suspension, while full-back Jamie Price and midfielder Brett Trowbridge were both injured.

There was a full debut for Spanish signing Olondo Alvarez, who did well in midfield, and Pete Monks was drafted into defence.

The home side made a positive start, enjoying the majority of possession in the opening minutes, but Dover soon took control, forcing two corners in quick succession on seven minutes.

They did better two minutes later when Ricky Modeste, who ran the Weston defence ragged in the first game at the Crabble Athletic Ground in November, was allowed to sprint on his own and easily beat home keeper Lloyd Irish.

The visitors came close again two minutes later, when, from their fourth corner, former Millwall and Stevenage Borough striker Ben May was just off target with a header on the far post.

When Dover’s seventh corner was not properly cleared on 37 minutes, the ball was played into the home six-yard box where skipper Ian Simpemba got the deftest touches. Irish, diving to his right, appeared to have saved the effort, but the ball slipped out of his arms and over his body into the net.

As Weston tried to get into the game, they had strong claims for a penalty ignored by Radstock referee Richard Hulme and on 44 minutes they had their first effort on target when Naby Diallo’s strong effort was charged down by Dover keeper Mitchells Walker, coming off his line.

In stoppage time at the end of the half, Irish made a good save to deny another May header from Dover’s eighth corner.

Weston started the second half well, forcing two early corners, but Dover struck again on 53 minutes when Monks was cautioned for tripping Steve Thomson on the edge of the penalty area. Barry Cogan’s low free kick came back off the foot of a post with Irish beaten and Modeste got his second goal of the game from the rebound.

To their credit, Weston kept going and substitutes Kane Ingram and Kayne McClaggon forced two corners and again the Seagulls had strong claims for a penalty turned down when McClaggon was sent sprawling.

Two minutes from the end of normal time, Dover almost scored again when substitute Callam Willock’s effort was cleared off his line by Jamie Laird with Irish stranded.

WESTON STATS

Goals: Dover, Modeste (10, 54), Simpemba (37).

Shots on target: Weston 4, Dover 6.

Shots off target: Weston 2, Dover 1.

Corners: Weston 6, Dover 9.

Offsides: Weston 2, Dover 3.

Free kicks conceded: Weston 7, Dover 14.

Referee: Richard Hulme (Radstock). Generally, good game. Might have been more sympathetic to Weston’s appeals for penalties.

Bookings: Weston, Monks, Kirk, Kington. Dover: Modeste, Thomson.

Attendance: 295.

Weston squad: Irish, Monks, Slocombe (Callum Laird 80), Diallo, Alvarez, Jamie Laird, Stearn (Ingram 58), Kirk, Hemmings (McClaggon 65), Kington, Grubb. Subs (not used): McGregor, Trowbridge.

ON Satuday, Weston have another tough home encounter when second in the table Woking provide the opposition (3pm).

On February 26, Weston make the long trip to bottom of the table Truro City (7.45pm) and hope to avenge the home 2-0 defeat inflicted by the Cornish club in August.