Weston secured their second win inside five days with a hard-fought win over Chelmsford City at The Optima this weekend.

Showing the greater initial promise, the visitors showed no ill-effects from their five-hour journey pushed forward, Bradley Williams going close twice inside the opening ten minutes, his second effort well stopped by Will Buse then fourteen minutes later Osmon Foyo shot high over the bar when well placed.

Luke Coulson's energising run minutes later saw the former Dartford player brilliantly side-step two defenders before firing an angled shot that fizzed just wide for The Seagulls.

Chelmsford had the ball in the net on thirty-nine minutes through their captain Charlie Ruff although the player was in an offside position. 

James Dodd was on target for Weston again late on, but Collins saved well, before Jake Hyde’s diving header flashed wide of the woodwork for the visitors. 

On the stoke of half time Ollie Chamberlain’s neat back heel, expertly set up by Dylan Kadji caught the visitors defence knapping and the striker was unfortunate not to put the hosts ahead in an all-action finish to the half.

Starting the second half with renewed vigour the Seagulls went close twice, initially from James Waite, on forty-eight minutes, the archetypal midfielder racing in from the left flank laying the ball off to James Dodd whose thunderous effort was parried by goalkeeper Collins.

Then on 52 minutes, Dylan Kadji found Coulson, but the latter’s stinging effort on target was well stopped by the Chelmsford custodian.   

A triple substitution then allowed Jordan Bastin, Reuben Reid, and Nick McCootie to gain an opportunity influence the game and their impact was instant.  

Within minutes of entering play, Reid’s astutely delivered sixty-third minute pass found McCootie who made no mistake from close range, the big striker side footing superbly past Collins.

Weston’s second goal, and the ultimate matchwinner came from Reid on seventy-nine minutes, the former Yeovil Town striker, although surrounded by defenders drilled his shot past the Chelmsford goalkeeper.

With the game now into time added on, the visitors side pushed forward in search of a consolation goal, but Ikechukwu Orji, but the Essex frontman was denied by Buse with an outstanding two-footed clearance.

 James Waite had to be helped off the field of play deep into time added, the midfield battler suffering an uncomfortably looking injury, later confirmed as fibula and ligament damage, there could be no denying that this was Weston’s day and a performance of great promise by Scott Bartlett’s team on the day.