Weston recorded a double over bottom club Dorchester, who were reduced to eight players in the second half.

WESTON-S-MARE 3

DORCHESTER TOWN 0

WESTON recorded a Skrill South double over bottom club Dorchester with their first win since November 13, in an extraordinary game which saw the visitors reduced to eight players in the second half and had three others cautioned.

Speaking after the game, Weston chairman Paul Bliss commented to the Weston Mercury: “We needed those three points badly. I was hoping for a total of 30 points before the turn of the year and we almost got there.

“The long list of injuries and suspensions did not help, but hopefully things will only improve in the New Year and I am confident we will finish in the top half of the table.”

Speaking of the result, Mr Bliss added: “The referee spoilt the game by issuing all those cards. I didn’t think there was a bad foul in the 90 minutes, but the official was a bit too fussy in his decisions.”

From the side beaten at Bath, Jordan Walker, Dan Gregson and Alec Fiddes were back, taking over from Callum Laird, Cameron Brown and Tristan Plummer, who was suspended for one game after picking up five cautions.

Weston attacked from the start with Chas Hemmings going close twice, once with a flashing distance effort that shaved an upright, while Dayle Grubb and Ashley Kington were also not far off.

Dorchester were barely seen as an attacking force, their best effort falling to Jack Twyford who gave an easy save to Lloyd Irish.

Weston broke the deadlock on 22 minutes when Hemmings and Naby Diallo exchanged passes to get through the defence and set up Academy player Bradley Ash to score his first senior goal.

Dorchester’s Clive Makoni, already on a yellow card, was shown red for a challenge on Irish on 66 minutes and a minute later, Kington rattled the Dorchester crossbar with a rasping shot.

Kington did better on 71 minutes when Weston’s third corner was not properly cleared, and he beat keeper Alan Walker-Harris from the edge of the penalty area.

With the departure of skipper and player-coach Mark Jermyn and central defender Steve Walker, both shown reds for dissent, in quick succession, Dorchester pulled the remaining players behind the ball, and Walker-Harris made a string of first-class saves to deny Grubb, Hemmings, Kington and Diallo.

But as the game went into added on time, substitute Syd Camper, another product of the club’s Academy, scored after more good work by Hemmings, Kington and Grubb.

WESTON STATS

Goals: Weston, Ash (22), Kington (71), Camper (90+2).

Shots on target: Weston 8, Dorchester 2.

Shots off target: Weston 6, Dorchester 7.

Corners: Weston 5, Dorchester 3.

Offsides: Weston 1, Dorchester 3.

Free kicks conceded: Weston 15, Dorchester 13.

Referee: Robert Ellis (Coventry). A little fussy in his decisions.

Cautions: Weston, Walker, Kington. Dorchester, Makoni, Jermyn, Walker (all red), Lanahan, Colmer, Gleeson.

Attendance: 222.

Weston squad: Irish, Diallo, Walker (Slocombe 81), Knowles, Laird, Gregson, Grubb (Brown 85), Ash (Camper 81), Hemmings, Kington, Fiddes. Subs (not used): McGregor, Kirk.

ON Saturday, Weston travel to Maidenhead who are in 17th spot in the table. The party will travel at 10.30am.