Clevedon completed a comfortable win to make it 5 in a row and leap to the top of the table with 3 games left. After failing to win in three games at the turn of the year, they have turned their form around, scoring 17 and conceding only once with strike duo Jack Richards and Joe Smith both scoring in every game and notching up 15 between them.

Against Weston, the Seasiders youngsters were helped by taking the lead from an early Richards penalty and added a vital second from Joe Smith just before half time. Town kept it tight in the second half and keeper Zach Ford didn’t have a direct shot to save the whole game, but his otherwise superb handling ensured a deserved third clean sheet in a row.

Missing Isaac Comerford and Louie Bowen and then losing skipper Mason Ball in the warm-up, Clevedon brought in Aletor Odigie, Oli Risdale and Jayden Russell, but they continued where they left off last week in the win at Brislington with all three fitting in straightaway.

Town grabbed the lead from their first attack in anger after 6 minutes. Mikey Vaughan played the ball into Richards in the box and when he was tripped from behind the referee awarded a penalty which Richards took himself and smashed the ball in.

Richards almost doubled his tally immediately when Josh Jackson sent him through, but Weston keeper Fin Croft came out to clear, and Richards’ follow-up was also cleared.

Weston then enjoyed a good spell. Two great Jay O’Connell tackles cut out Weston attacks and Jack Harding headed tamely wide from a free-kick on the left. Another good O’Connell tackle stopped Harry Roberts after Clevedon had lost the ball and then Hartley Ayers sent Zak Kempster through who put his shot wide.

Just after the half hour it was the same for Clevedon at the other end. With Weston failing to clear a ball into the box Risdale rolled a shot wide of the far post, Joe Smith put a shot straight at Croft and then mishit his final shot after a strong run down the right.

A good combination between Sam Ledward and Vaughan only produced a corner but Clevedon finally made the pressure count after 42 minutes.
Russell played the ball forward for Richards whose shot was pushed out by Croft, but Joe Smith was following up to win the ball back and find the net.

At 2-0 in front at the break, good second half game management by Clevedon kept Weston at bay, but early on Kempster saw another shot go wide and Ledward had to block Cohen Grant’s free-kick.

Clevedon still created chances to increase the lead though. Risdale and Richards combined well but the final shot was blocked, Croft spilled a 25 yard free-kick, but Joe Smith was penalised as he followed up and on 68 minutes a Ledward cross was played back to Risdale who rolled his shot agonisingly wide.

Croft was put under pressure to kick clear after Russell had put Richards thorough, then the keeper just deflected another Risdale shot wide for a corner. After 79 minutes Joe Smith was quickly on to a short back pass and Croft came racing out of his area to tackle Smith who picked up a yellow card for a robust challenge.

Clevedon’s final chance came with five minutes left when Vaughan found substitute Oscar Smith to lay the ball back to Risdale who couldn’t beat Croft as he was challenged. But the final score of Clevedon Town 2 Weston-super-Mare 0 was enough to secure the three points and take Clevedon to the top of the table.

Clevedon Town Under 18s Line-up:

1. Zach Ford
2. Oli Risdale
3. Sam Ledward
4. Jay O’Connell (c)
5. Ethan Rosenior
15. Jayden Russell
7. Josh Jackson,
8. Aletor Odigie
9. Joe Smith - Goal on 42 minutes
10. Mikey Vaughan
11. Jack Richards - Penalty on 6 minutes

6. Mason Ball replaced Jack Richards on 88 minutes
12. Oscar Smith replaced Josh Jackson on 77 minutes.