Weston finished a well-beaten side in the only Blue Square South game of the day at Dover.

DOVER ATHLETIC 3

WESTON-S-MARE 1

WESTON finished a well-beaten side in the only Blue Square South game of the day. Played in continual heavy rain, the Crabble Athletic Ground held up well and was a credit to the Dover groundstaff.

Weston went into the game missing Martin Slocombe, who was unavailable, Pete Monks taking over and the defence was almost under continual pressure in the first half.

Tormentor in chief was Ricky Modeste, playing wide on the right, whose speed and trickery was a constant menace, but he was given too much space. As well as Modeste, Dover had two more up front in Ben May and Billy Bricknell, who both were dangerous in possession.

The Seagulls were under pressure from the start, Modeste’s low cross being fired narrowly wide in the first minute and a minute later, Weston keeper Lloyd Irish had to dive at the feet of May to cut out Chris Sesseengnon’s low cross.

The breakthrough came on five minutes when again Modeste was allowed too much space as he burst through and he was brought down by Irish to earn a booking and May scored from the penalty spot.

After that, May had an effort blocked by Irish’s legs, and then he was just wide with a free kick, while Jamie Price cleared off his line from Bricknell’s header with Irish beaten.

Weston’s only shot on target of the half was a free kick by Ashley Kington which was punched to safety by home keeper Mitch Walker on the stroke of half-time.

Weston improved as an attacking force in the second half, and they should have equalised on 54 minutes when Chas Hemmings and skipper Ben Kirk both failed to connect with Ross Stearn’s low cross and minutes later, Hemmings headed wide from Stearn’s cross.

The Weston goal had a let-off on 69 minutes when, from a poor clearance by Irish, well off his line, Dover skipper Steven Thomson got possession, but Irish recovered well to turn the shot behind for a corner. Two minutes later, May cracked a header off the Weston crossbar.

Dover doubled their lead on 79 minutes when Bricknell left the Weston defence floundering on the wet surface as he jinked into the penalty area before beating Irish from eight yards. Two minutes later, Modeste got his reward when he cut in from the right and beat Irish with a cross-cum-shot from the edge of the penalty area.

To their credit, Weston kept battling away and five minutes from time, forced their fifth corner and from Dayle Grubb’s kick, substitute Nabi Diallo, who had just come on for Kane Ingram, headed past Walker.

WESTON STATS

Goals: Dover, May (5, penalty), Bricknell (79), Modeste (81). Weston, Diallo (85).

Shots on target: Dover 8, Weston 2.

Shots off target: Dover 5, Weston 1.

Corners: Dover 4, Weston 6.

Offside: Dover 4, Weston 0.

Free kicks conceded: Dover 13, Weston 10.

Referee: Adam Crysell. Good game, allowed play to flow.

Bookings: Dover, Thomson, Rance. Weston, Irish, Kirk, Hemmings.

Attendance: 502.

Weston squad: Irish, Price, Monks, Kington, Villis, Laird, Stearn, Kirk, Hemmings, Ingram (Diallo 76), Grubb (Egan 87). Subs (not used): Trowbridge, Cooper, Pepperell.

ON Saturday, Weston have another tough assignment when they travel to fourth-placed Boreham Wood, who won 4-2 when the sides met at the Woodspring Stadium in October.