Weston lost narrowly to Football League Division 2 side Plymouth Argyle.

WESTON-S-MARE 1

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 2

A WEAKENED Weston gave another promising display despite losing out to their Football League Division 2 opponents.

First choice defenders Clayton Fortune, Ollie Barnes and Jordan Walker were missing from the starting line-up and they fell behind inside the first minute.

A long clearance by Argyle keeper James Bittner bounced over the heads of the Weston defence and Reubin Reid, last season’s top scorer, raced through to beat Luke Purnell.

As the Seagulls came into the game, Dayle Grubb fired narrowly across goal with Bittner beaten and then man of the match Jake Mawford was narrowly wide with a free kick.

Argyle came close again with their best move of the half when Nathan Thomas, Ollie Norburn and Marvin Morgan set up Reid who curled his shot just wide.

Minutes before the interval, Morgan used his pace to burst through the home defence, but Purnell came off his line and dived at Morgan’s feet to block the effort.

Both side made several changes for the second half and Weston were beginning to get on top. Alec Fiddes, who troubled the Argyle defence with determined runs on the left, fired narrowly over and then flashed an effort across goal as well as having a header held by Bittner under his crossbar.

Slightly against the run of play, Argyle struck again on 66 minutes when Morgan beat Purnell with the home defence looking in vain for an offside flag.

Fiddes was unlucky not to score when, after switching to the right, he chipped Bittner, but the ball came back off the far post.

Weston’s persistence paid off on 86 minutes when Bradley Ash got the better of a tussle with Kelvin Mellor and beat Bittner with a superb effort.

ON Saturday, it all starts for real with the opening game of the Vanarama Conference South season when Weston entertain Bishop’s Stortford (3pm) and they will be looking for a positive start.

On Monday evening (7.45pm), Weston will play their first away game at Farnborough.