WESTON manager Craig Laird said his team’s performance against Dover Athletic on Saturday was the best he has seen at the club, despite the Seagulls losing 3-1.

The former Bridgwater Town boss said he was proud of the team’s performance and hoped he would see the same performance against Boreham Wood on Saturday, albeit with a different result.

Their match against Dover was originally scheduled to take place in December but as both teams had been knocked out of the FA Trophy it was moved forward.

The Seagulls were under pressure from the start at the Crabble Athletic Ground and went behind on five minutes as the tricky Ricky Modeste was brought down by goalkeeper Lloyd Irish, with Ben May scoring the resultant penalty.

Irish blocked a May effort with his legs and Jamie Price cleared off his line with the Weston keeper beaten, with Ashley Kington’s free-kick the away side’s only shot on target in the first half.

The Seagulls improved after the break and should have equalised on 54 minutes as Chas Hemmings and Ben Kirk both failed to connect with a Ross Stearn cross.

But Dover came back into it and May cracked a header off the Weston crossbar before Bricknell beat Irish from eight yards to double their lead.

Modeste, who had tormented the Weston defence all afternoon, finally got his reward when he cut in from the right and beat Irish from the edge of the penalty area on 81 minutes.

Substitute Nabi Diallo got a measure of consolation for Weston four minutes later as he headed a free-kick past home keeper Mitch Walker.

Despite the result, which leaves Weston 14th in the Blue Square South table, Laird said: “It was the best we’ve played since I’ve been here I think.

“We conceded three sloppy goals, but that’s the best performance by a Weston team since I’ve been here.

“We competed really well, but we just need to be more clinical.”

Ahead of Saturday’s trip to fourth-placed Boreham Wood, Laird said: “We’re going to concede chances with the style that we play, but we will also create lots of chances. We just need to put them away.

“We’ve got a nice run of games going into December as games come thick and fast, and it would be nice to see the supporters coming to cheer the lads on at the home matches.”

He added that he had a fully-fit squad to pick from for Saturday’s match, where Weston will be looking to avenge a 4-2 home defeat back in October.