City came off second best to the Seagulls as the visitors maintained their unbeaten start to the season, ending the Lilywhites 100% record in the process.

Gary Roberts named an unchanged line up from that which overcame neighbours Bishop’s Stortford on Tuesday. A former Milton Road transfer target Marc McGregor again led the Weston line having netted twice at Dorchester, also in midweek.

In a cautious opening neither side found sufficient space in the danger areas to forge goal scoring opportunities. A neat passing move after some eight minutes saw Scott loft a pass to Swonnell but the Weston rearguard stood firm and stifled the attack on the edge of their area.

The visitors then went on to carve out a decent opening of their own. The hugely experienced Stuart Slater crossed from the right finding Jon French some eight yards from goal, shaping well the former Bristol Rovers striker hooked a powerful right footed shot towards the bottom corner of the City net forcing Duncan Roberts into a good save low to his left which he completed with the aid of an upright. As the Seagulls maintained the pressure Slater was involved again working the ball in from the right to McGregor who turned into an alarming amount of space before flashing a shot wide of the target when well placed to work Roberts.

Dave Sadler looks to set up an attacking move

City hit back through a Richard Scott free kick, awarded following a foul on Dave Sadler in the inside left position. The former Peterborough midfielder’s delivery was perfect for the towering Matt Langston but the City skipper was unable to direct his close-range header goalwards.

Scott, dropping deeper to find more space then threaded a pass through centre field to Michael Gash allowing the teenager the opportunity to turn and run at the Weston back line before freeing Rob Miller on the right of the box with an angled pass, but just as the former Bedford midfielder was poised to strike an excellent recovery tackle from Mark McKeever denied him the opportunity.

With City enjoying a decent spell in the ascendancy Craig Pope showed great control to spin inside from wide on the right, taking two Weston players out of the game before feeding Swonnell who attempted to free Dave Sadler by playing the ball in over his shoulder but the chance fell to the former Hinckley striker’s left foot and his shot lacked power.

The Seagulls then came close to gifting the Lilywhites an opener. Dave Sadler played the ball through to Carl Williams but he was always second favourite behind Jon French, who then proceeded to under-hit a back pass giving Williams fresh hope, after getting the better of ‘keeper Tony Malessa the former Hichin midfielder scurried after the loose ball but a recovering Billy Clark did enough to deflect the resultant shot onto the post and away for a corner.

Steve Jenkins then came close for the visitors rising to head Slater’s free kick narrowly wide of the target at the far post.

As City probed good work by Swonnell and Miller on the right created an opportunity for Richard Scott to shoot from distance but his dipping drive was always just too high of goal.

With time almost up Lee Jarman powered a 25 yard free kick goalwards which Roberts was grateful to gather in after a couple of deflections. There was still time for Gash to get his head to Williams’ left wing cross but at the interval the contest was locked at 0-0.

In similar fashion to Tuesday night a scoreless game sprang to life with a goal in the opening moments of the second half, unfortunately for City, on this occasion, it was the visitors who scored it. McKeever received the ball wide on the left but appeared to be well marshalled by Pope. However, a combination of skill and strength saw the former Sheffield Wednesday player shake off the attentions of the Lilywhites’ full back and send in a dangerous centre. Lee Chaffey sliced his attempted clearance back against the post and as the ball span back into play McGregor was on hand to despatch the rebound from close range. To add to City’s woes Duncan Roberts was injured in the melee and required lengthy treatment to his shoulder.

City's Sam Swonnell and Weston's Marc McKeever do battle

Again much like Tuesday night, 1-0 soon became 2-0. With City reeling from the opening strike a disjointed eight minutes of play culminated in the Seagulls doubling their lead with the help of more generous defending from the hosts. The ball was worked wide to McGregor on the left who found himself in an inexplicable amount of space just inside the box, he drilled a low drive into the bottom corner of the net across a static Roberts, whether a fully mobile custodian would have posed more on an obstacle is open to question.

City had not shown enough as an attacking force to suggest they could find a way back into the contest although after the goal they enjoyed a decent spell which eventually resulted in them halving the deficit.

With just under an hour gone Carl Williams worked Lee Chaffey’s throw inside to Sam Swonnell who drove the wrong side of the near post when a shot across the face of goal might have posed more of a threat.

There then followed a double change, visiting boss Frank Gregan replaced Andrew Robertson with Lewis Hogg at the same time, for City, Michael Gash made way for trialist Jon Stevenson.

The former Leicester striker failed to make the immediate impact of Tuesday but the home side were still in the ascendancy at this stage as illustrated by Carl Williams rising right foot drive from the left which forced Malessa to beat the ball away for a corner.

City were rewarded with a goal moments later, a neat one two between Swonnell and Miller saw the latter burst into the box and fire off an early shot despite the close attentions of Lee Jarman, Malessa could only parry the drive across the face of goal allowing Dave Sadler a close range tap in. With a good 25 minutes still to play the Lilywhites had given themselves a lifeline.

However, lacking the accuracy of pass and the ability to retain the ball that had been trademark features of their first two games City failed to capitalise. The Seagulls were wreaking havoc down the left side and only a brave save from a clearly pained Roberts denied the classy McKeever who again found the space to cut inside and shoot.

Dave Sadler then had a presentable chance to double his tally as he got on the end of Craig Pope’s deep cross but glanced a header the wrong side of Malessa’s far post.

Craig Pope brings the ball forward

With twenty minutes remaining Frank Gregan withdrew Dave Gilroy introducing the much-travelled Adie Mings as a straight-swap replacement. Gary Roberts soon countered with a second change of his own, handing a debut to Dale Binns (who had previously been suspended since arriving from Hendon). The player to make way was a clearly frustrated Craig Pope who by his own high standards had experienced a rare off-day, especially in the second half.

City switched to three at the back but a tendency to hit the ball long never allowed Stevenson and Binns, with their pace and ability to take on opponents, to make an impression.

In fact Weston still posed the most significant goal threat in the shape of McKeever and MacGregor who combined to set up Mings who in turn fired narrowly over.

When Stevenson did receive the ball at his feet he was a handful, forcing Matt Rose into a lunging tackle that earned the former Newport midfielder the first in a series of yellow cards that peppered the closing stages.

He was soon followed into Mr Greaves’ notebook by Jarman who chopped Richard Scott’s legs away as he looked to race clear from Rob Miller’s return pass. However, the resultant free kick, from the edge of the area just right of goal sailed harmlessly into the Westbrook End, summing up a disappointing afternoon for the home side.

There was still time for Williams to pick up a caution after he tangled with Slater and then contested the referee’s decision, closely followed by McKeever as he wasted time by the corner flag in the 89th minute, all this succeeded in doing was breaking up what little momentum City had built up and the final whistle sounded moments later.

After opening the season with two deserved victories there was an air of dejection around Milton Road, however City are not likely to be the only team frustrated by the hard working and well organised Seagulls in the coming months.

Had Gary Roberts been offered six points from the first three matches before last Saturday he would probably have taken it and with the games coming thick and fast the Lilywhites have the chance to bounce back at Welling on Tuesday night.