Weston recorded their first away win of the season with an emphatic 3-0 victory at Havant & Waterlooville.

HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE 0

WESTON-S-MARE 3

WESTON recorded an emphatic win at Westleigh Park and lifted themselves up to 16th spot in the Blue Square South with their first away success.

After the game, Havant manager Stuart Richie, who was appointed at the beginning of the season, was dismissed, as his squad of 24 players was also bundled out of the FA Cup last Saturday by Southern League Division 1 South side North Leigh.

Weston chairman Paul Bliss, who is away, when contacted by phone asked the caller to repeat the score, as he thought he had misheard the result.

Commenting after the game, Weston’s assistant manager Marc McGregor, speaking to the mercury, said: “This was the best performance by a Weston team I have witnessed. On tonight’s form few sides could have lived with us. After a nervous start, we dominated and could have easily won by a bigger margin.”

From the side successful against Frome, manager Craig Laird was forced to make one change, Jamie Price being work-tied and Pete Monks taking over.

Havant were first to show with Jake Newton forcing a decent save from Weston keeper Lloyd Irish on five minutes and they forced two corners in the next 10 minutes.

But the game was turned on its head on 19 minutes when Ross Stern, wide on the left, played a huge crossfield pass to Martin Slocombe wide on the right. Slocombe brought the ball under control, cut inside a defender and unleashed a shot from 30 yards which sailed over the head of home keeper Clark Masters and into the far corner of the net.

Later, Chas Hemmings fired narrowly across goal and Havant’s best chance came on 38 minutes when Irish dived at the feet of an attacker in a scramble in the six-yard box.

Havant forced a couple of corners early in the second half and brought on former Weston favourite Sahr Kabba after 67 minutes, but the little man failed to make an impact as he was policed out of the game by Weston’s loan signing Immanuel Parry, who was brilliant in the heart of the defence.

Weston brought on Dayle Grubb for Kane Ingram, who picked up a knock, and as Ingram limped off he was booked for time wasting by the referee.

The visitors were awarded their second corner on 81 minutes and a poor Havant clearance was picked up by Stearn who fed Grubb to cut inside a couple of defenders and beat Masters with an effort all along the ground from 18 yards.

Nat Pepperell replaced Stearn two minutes later and instead of going wide on the right where he normally operates, he joined Hemmings up front. With the home defence all over the place, Hemmings fed Nabi Diallo, who gave a man of the match performance in midfield, and he put Pepperell through.

Pepperell’s first effort was blocked by Masters, coming off his line, but the Weston substitute picked up the rebound and fired over the prone keeper to score with his first touch.

WESTON STATS

Goals: Weston, Slocombe (19), Grubb (81), Pepperell (83).

Shots on target: Havant 4, Weston 4.

Shots off target: Havant 3, Weston 4.

Corners: Havant 9, Weston 4.

Offsides: Havant 4, Weston 2.

Free kicks conceded: Havant 12, Weston 10.

Referee: Rob Hyde (Brentwood, Essex). Good game.

Bookings: Havant, Harris, Newton, Page. Weston, Ingram.

Attendance: 460.

Weston squad: Irish Slocombe, Monks, Diallo, Parry, Laird, Stearn (Pepperell 83), Kirk, Hemmings (McClaggon 90), Trowbridge, Ingram (Grubb 71). Subs (not used): Kington, McGregor.