Pre-season friendly: Bashley 2-3 Weston-Super-Mare

Pre-season friendly
Bashley 2
Weston-Super-Mare 3

WITH ambitions to make a promotion run this season, Bashley deliberately set the bar high in their build-up schedule.

This was the fourth match of their pre-season, the third against opposition from a higher division – and Bashley gave as good as they got against a side two divisions above in status.

Weston will compete in the National League South in the coming season, and although both sides made the usual quota of pre-season match substitutions, it took Weston until three minutes from the end to nick the victory.

Despite an afternoon of driving wind and torrential rain, it was quality entertainment for a crowd of 251.

Bashley were quickly out of the blocks and they took the lead on 15 minutes. Weston only half-cleared a corner, and right-back Jamie Webber, lurking 25 yards out, took one touch to tee it up before launching it past Harry Lee in the Weston goal.

That jolted Weston into action and, after Bashley keeper Ross Casey did well to keep out a 25-yarder from Bastin, it took a goal-line clearance to defy Dodd.

Towards half-time Weston were still asking the questions and Casey did well to save with his feet after Jackson had eluded the defence.

Early in the second half Casey was in action again, this time tipping over a 30-yard free-kick by Humphries, and he saved again, this time with his shoulder, to thwart James.

Although Bashley were defending well, an equaliser always looked on the cards and it arrived on 59 minutes when Bastin beat Casey at his near post.

And two minutes later the Seagulls were ahead. Bastin’s through ball sent Pope clear and he rounded Casey to score.

Bashley battled on, however, and towards the end started to take charge. On 79 minutes the scores were level, Harry McGrath cut inside from the right along the edge of the area until he had space to hit a left-foot drive out of Lee’s reach.

Just when it seemed the game would end in an honourable draw, Weston stepped up the pace again and won it three minutes from the end – with a bit of help from Bashley.

The conditions played a part as a hurried back-pass left Casey in no-man’s land and he was beaten to it by Humphries who rolled it into the net.

Bashley chairman Paul Lucas said: “Despite the weather, it was exactly the sort of workout we hoped for. I think we were worth a draw, but we have proved again that we can live with sides of a higher status.

“I would also like to thank the fans for turning out in such awful weather to support the team. Their loyalty is greatly appreciated.”

The next big date at the GlenMex is this Saturday – an even sterner test for Bashley against National League Eastleigh.

The Spitfires were close to a run at promotion to the Football League last season and are looking to go one better this time – just as Bashley are looking for a charge at the promotion places in the Southern League (South) after narrowly missing out on the play-offs last time.