WESTON manager Craig Laird has called on the club’s fans to get behind the team as they face a pivotal festive programme.

The Seagulls would have claimed a play-off spot had they beaten Staines Town on Saturday, but despite a dominant performance they only drew 1-1.

But with his team unbeaten in three matches, Laird says he is confident they can end the year strongly and keep up with the rest of the promotion-chasing pack.

He described Saturday’s performance at Wheatsheaf Park, where Weston played some attractive one-touch football, as ‘scintillating at times’, and they should have been several goals up were it not for a man of the match performance from home goalkeeper Jack Turner.

After Brett Trowbridge saw two shots drift wide and Chas Hemmings sent a header over the crossbar, Turner saved from Hemmings and then saved Kane Ingram’s penalty after the Weston forward was fouled in the box.

Against the run of play Staines substitute Louis-Rae Beadle put the home side ahead on 66 minutes from a corner. It was their only effort on target in the entire match.

Weston fought back, with Ross Stearn, Kayne McClaggon and Nat Pepperell all brought on, and they finally got their rewards on 88 minutes when Trowbridge scored his second goal in as many games to hand the Seagulls a richly-deserved point.

After the match, Laird said: “It was a really good performance, we played some really good football and we also showed some great character at the end to get that point.

“Of course the result didn’t match the performance but we grabbed a draw from the jaws of defeat when we should have won by a country mile.”

The side are currently in seventh place in the Blue Square South table, separated from fifth place Farnborough, who have played a game less, only by goal difference.

Saturday’s visit of Eastleigh kicks off a busy Christmas schedule where they will face three games in eight days.

The Seagulls will visit Bath City on Boxing Day and Truro City on December 29.

With his team playing attractive football and a play-off spot a realistic aim, Laird has called on the club’s fans to turn out in numbers on Saturday.

He said: “We are in a good position, the club’s being really well run and it’s a shame that people don’t come down to watch it as much as they can do, because it’s a great level of football right on their doorstep.

“We will also be having another fans’ forum over the Christmas period, and so people should come along to that too. They can ask us questions and we’ll give them answers.”