United 4
(Hasani 29′, Jenkins Davies 34′, Cooke 69′, 78′)
Weston-super-Mare 2
(Coulson 17′, Avery 42′)
Ten man United see off the league leaders, as they beat Weston-super-Mare 4-2 at a rainy Plainmoor.
A Cody Cooke brace along with goals from Lirak Hasani and Will Jenkins Davies sees United claim a 4-2 win over Weston-super-Mare, who saw Luke Coulson put them ahead and Sam Avery equalise towards the end of the first half.
Paul Wotton made one change to the team that drew 0-0 at Boreham Wood in the previous game, as Lirak Hasani came in to replace Oscar Threlkeld, who dropped to the bench, with Brad Ash the only other change to the squad./+
On a rainy evening the first half started in the manner you may expect in such conditions, with both teams finding it hard to get a grip on the game. However it was the visitors who drew first blood and got their noses in front in the 17th minute, when Luke Coulson got through the United back line with his shot across James Hamon finding the bottom corner of the net.
United then started to get their game together and found themselves level in the 29th minute thanks to Lirak Hasani’s long range effort that beat Max Harris in the Weston goal to the delight of the home crowd. Things got even better for the Gulls five minutes later when a mistake in the Weston defence allowed Will Jenkins Davies a clear run at goal, and into the area, as he fired his shot across Harris and into the bottom corner of the goal.
Back came Weston though, and in the 42nd minute they equalised from a Coulson corner with Sam Avery getting the last touch to put it over the line. With three minutes of added time given at the end of the half, United had the chance to go in with the lead when they were awarded a penalty in the second minute of the added time, as Hasani was bundled over and the referee pointed to the spot. Cody Cooke stepped up to take the kick, but Harris guessed the right way and the opportunity was missed as the half time whistle blew.
With no changes to either side at half time the second half started in explosive fashion, as Hasani challenged Reuben Reid, which was deemed by the referee to be punishable with a straight red card, and despite protests the midfielder headed for an early bath. United gathered themselves as the game became a little messy, but Cooke then made amends for his penalty miss in the 69th minute, as a neat little move down the right saw the ball come into the box, and with his body side on to the goal the striker directed the ball into the empty net and the home side led again.
That lead was increased in the 78th minute as another Weston defensive mistake allowed Hayfield to run in the clear, and as he squared the ball to Cooke in the area, he gleefully stroked the ball home and the ten men were in dreamland.
With the clock ticking down and six minutes added on at the end of the game, United marshalled the visitors well to see off the league leaders, take the three points and defend their unbeaten home record.
UNITED: 1. James Hamon, 3. Jay Foulston, 4. Jordan Dyer, 5. Sam Dreyer (c), 7. Lirak Hasani, 8. Jordan Young( 16. Ed Palmer 71′), 10. Omar Mussa( 18. Oscar Threlkeld 51′), 19. Cody Cooke, 20. Dan Hayfield, 22. Will Jenkins Davies, 26. Jordan Thomas,
SUBS NOT USED: 11. Brad Ash, 14. Matt Carson, 30. Keke Jeffers.
Yellow Card: Young 70′
Red Card: Hasani 48′
WESTON-SUPER-MARE: 1. Max Harris, 2. Kieran Thomas, 6. Sam Avery, 7. Jacob Jagger Cane, 8. James Dodd, 9. Reuben Reid, 10. Sam Pearson, 11. Luke Coulson, 14. Billy Kirkman( 3. Jordan Bastin 84′), 15. Emlyn Lewis, 17. Ollie Chamberlain( 21. Nick McCootie 61′).
SUBS NOT USED: 4. Dylan Kadji, 13. Kelland Absalom, 19. Brandon Bak.
Yellow Card: Bastin 90′
Attendance: 2,987 (96 away)