Weston-super-Mare vs Torquay

Torquay took the lead in first-half stoppage time. Jordan Young's deep free-kick was headed back across goal by Sam Dreyer, and Kian Jenkins rose highest to nod in from six yards (45+1').

Weston responded early in the second half. Jacob Jagger Cane drove into space down the right and fired a low cross across the six-yard box. A Torquay defender failed to cut it out, and Liam Sercombe arrived at the back post to finish from 12 yards, levelling the score in the 48th minute.

The Seagulls nearly turned the game around moments later. A loose back-pass let Jake Britton in behind; with goalkeeper Zak Baker advancing, Britton squared to Brad Ash, but Tyler Hill made an excellent recovery tackle to deny Ash an open goal. Britton then forced a save from Baker after a neat pull-back from Sercombe.

The winner came with three minutes of normal time remaining. A cross towards the back post found the run of substitute Callum Morton, whose deft sidefoot volley crept inside the near post past Max Harris (87').

Weston's failure to convert the 59th-minute chance — when Britton squared to Ash only for Hill's goal-saving tackle — proved pivotal. Had Weston gone 2–1 up, the game's momentum would have shifted decisively. Instead, Torquay absorbed the pressure and struck late.

• Callum Morton (Torquay): Entered as a substitute and scored the winner with a composed 87th-minute volley. His movement off the shoulder of the defence caused problems throughout the second half.
• Liam Sercombe (Torquay): Scored the equaliser and was a creative outlet from midfield, linking play and delivering dangerous set pieces.
• Emlyn Lewis (Weston-super-Mare): Named man of the match by the Banwell Seagulls sponsors. The Weston skipper won his aerial duels and stayed composed when playing through the Torquay press.
• Tyler Hill (Torquay): Made the defining defensive intervention of the match, covering goal-line to deny Brad Ash what would have been a tap-in.

Torquay's shots on target yielded two goals, reflecting clinical finishing rather than dominant build-up play. Weston created several clear-cut chances — the Britton-to-Ash opportunity, a Hulbert toe-poke from six yards that Baker tipped aside, and a late deflected Britton volley — but converted only once. The hosts will be the more frustrated side at their final-third execution.

The match was a pre-season friendly with no competitive implications. For Torquay manager Jimmy Ball, the result extends a strong pre-season run ahead of the 2026–27 National League South campaign. Weston, under Scott Rogers, will take encouragement from spells of pressure but will want sharper finishing ahead of their own league opener.

Next up for Weston-super-Mare: Tuesday 21 July — Taunton Town (A) Next up for Torquay United: Tuesday 21 July — Plymouth Argyle (H)

A pre-season friendly that delivered genuine edge between two National League South rivals. Torquay's clinical finishing decided it, but Weston created enough chances to suggest they will be competitive when the season starts. The Optima Stadium crowd of 720 (184 away) witnessed a contest that felt far from a friendly.