Louis Britton’s brace ended Chelmsford City’s 2025-26 FA Cup campaign in front of a record crowd of 3,628 at the Dunmow Group Community Stadium.
City had the better chances during an entertaining first half and were also denied by a goal-saving block from Weston defender Sam Avery in the 55th minute.
The Seagulls made City rue this succession of missed opportunties moments later when, in the 62nd minute, Britton clinically dispatched a volley into the roof of the net to put his side in front.
Scott Rogers’ men took advantage of a late City red card and then a defensive error to go two goals in front in the closing stages, with Britton sealing a brace from close range to earn his side a place in the hat for the third round.
Angelo Harrop made one enforced change from the side that started last time out against Torquay United, with Joe Grimwood coming in for his first appearance since October to replace the suspended David Longe-King.
Jason Adigun was City’s biggest threat in the early stages and was unfortunate not to score on three occasions during the opening 30 minutes. A looping header from Ben Tompkins fell to Adigun in front of goal in the second minute, but the attacking midfielder couldn’t keep his effort from a few yards out beneath the crossbar.
Adigun then hit the woodwork in the 27th minute when, after Kian Ronan won the ball high up the pitch, Sam Folarin rolled it into his feet on the edge of the box. Adigun struck his effort sweetly towards goal and, despite beating the goalkeeper, the powerful strike cannoned off the post. Moments later, Ricky Holmes picked Adigun out with a well-worked corner routine, but his low effort drifted the wrong side of the upright.
Weston first came close in the 35th minute from a set piece, when captain Emelyn Lewis got on the end of a dangerous free kick into the area, only to be denied by a fingertip save from Chris Haigh.
City pushed again at the beginning of the second half and were this time denied by a miraculous block from Weston defender Avery in the 55th minute, who unknowingly diverted Harry Barbrook’s goal-bound header behind for another corner.
The Clarets were made to pay for their missed opportunities when Weston went in front in the 62nd minute after enjoying their best spell of the afternoon in the aftermath of Barbrook’s close call. Two minutes before Britton’s opener, City were handed a warning when Liam Sercombe headed Michael Smith’s accurate cross the wrong side of the post.
Britton’s goal was well worked and impressively dispatched by the forward, who volleyed full back Dom Bernard’s chipped delivery beyond Haigh.
While chasing an equaliser, Clarets substitute Taylor Clark was shown a straight red card for a high challenge on Charlie Cummins, giving City a mountain to climb in the closing minutes.
And that mountain only grew steeper when the visitors struck again late on. Clarets debutant and substitute Ronnie Harvey underhit a pass back towards goal, allowing Weston substitute Scott Wilson to nip in and get a shot away. Haigh saved the initial effort, but the rebound fell perfectly for Britton, who converted to claim his second of the game.
The defeat in CM1 has brought City’s best FA Cup run in more than a decade to an end. Harrop’s side will go again on Tuesday night in the Essex Senior Cup, before returning to league action next weekend away at Eastbourne Borough.
Chelmsford City XI: Haigh (GK); Ronan, Tompkins, Grimwood, Barbrook; Odusanya (C) (Harvey 83′), Holmes (Clark 74’); Folarin (Appiah 83’), Adigun, Uchegbulam (Barham 64’); Taylor.
Unused substitutes: Addai (GK), Castiglione, Tamplin, Murphy, Remy
Goals: none
Yellow cards: Odusanya 77’
Red cards: Clark 86’
Weston-super-Mare XI: Harris (GK); Smith (Wood 87’), Bernard, Avery, Coulson, Kite, Britton, Dawes (Wilson 75′), Lewis, Sercombe, Cummins.
Unused substitutes: Glover (GK), Jagger Cane, King, May, Hicks, Johnson, Birch
Goals: Britton 62’, 88′
Yellow cards: Cummins 42’, Dawes 65’, Wilson 90+4’
Red cards: Dawes 89’
Match officials: Carl Brook (Referee), Leigh Crowhurst (First Assistant), Conall Bartlett (Second Assistant), Aji Ajibola (Fourth Official)
Attendance: 3628
