Manager Scott Rogers made five changes to his starting line-up from last Saturday’s draw at Horsham; as Michael Smith, Luke Coulson, Sam Avery and Will Dawes were recalled, while Truro City loanee Harry Kite started. Fellow new signing Adam May started on the bench on this momentous day in Essex.
In a game neither side could afford to lose, Chelmsford started the stronger, and The Clarets had a glorious early chance when Jason Adigun fired over the bar from close-range after a long throw was hurled into the area.
Weston then had a half-chance when Liam Sercombe found himself in space 35 yards from goal, with goalkeeper Chris Haigh off his line the Forest Green Rovers loanee attempted to chip the Clarets number one, but Haigh organised his feet and eventually dealt with the effort.
Dangerman Adigun should have opened the scoring once more, but this time his shot from just inside the area smacked against the post despite being in plenty of space. Then the busy Adigun rolled a shot just wide after a well-worked corner.
At the other end, inspirational skipper Emlyn Lewis had his header tipped over the bar by Haigh following Coulson’s dangerous free-kick.
HALF-TIME: Chelmsford City 0-0 Weston-super-Mare AFC
At the start of the second-half, the Essex side poured forward again, but Max Harris made a tremendous save from a Joe Grimwood header from Ricky Holmes’ cross.
The game had a fluid momentum to it, as both sides seemingly took it in turns to attack. The influential Coulson threaded a diagonal ball through to Britton but he flashed his first-time effort inches wide of the post.
The Seagulls were now starting to get on top as two Irishmen combined. Michael Smith’s delicious cross from the right was guided just over the crossbar by the excellent Charlie Cummins.
Minutes later, and The Seagulls were in dreamland as they took a deserved lead. Recent acquisition Dom Bernard floated a beautiful ball into towards Britton and he unleashed a powerful volley into the back of the net, a strike not at all dissimilar to Marco van Basten’s iconic goal for Holland v Soviet Union at Euro 88.
With the deadlock now broken, it meant the intensity of the game increased even more, and there were a spate of bookings for both sides, including Will Dawes after colliding with Haigh.
Chelmsford pressed and pressed, but the resolute defending from front to back reduced The Clarets to attempts of little danger from distance, including a 25 yard shot from Taylor Clark that went harmlessly wide.
That proved to be Clark’s last action as he received a red card for his studs into the chest lunge on Cummins four minutes from the end.
Weston were now firmly in the driving seat and this historic victory was sealed when Britton scored his 16th goal of the season.
Scott Wilson, making a great impact from the substitutes’ bench,, brilliantly sensed an opportunity and intercepted a poor backpass. From a tight angle, his shot was saved by the legs of Haigh but the rebound fell kindly to Britton, who rifled the ball home to spark scenes of joy and simultaneously write a new chapter into the Weston history book.
In the jubilation that followed, the substituted Dawes was shown a red card for racing across the pitch to join in the celebrations.
From this point, there was no way back for Chelmsford and The Seagulls saw the game out comfortably, on an occasion that is virtually impossible to put into words.
The draw for the Third Round can now not come soon enough, as we now impatiently wait to see who our next FA Cup opponents will be on Monday evening.
FULL-TIME: Chelmsford City 0-2 Weston-super-Mare AFC (Britton 62′,88′)
Weston: Harris, Smith (Wood), Bernard, Avery, Lewis, Dawes (Wilson), Cummins, Kite (May), Sercombe, Coulson, Britton
Unused substitutes: Glover, Jagger Cane, Hicks, Johnson, King, Birch
Attendance: 3,628 (Chelmsford’s highest ever attendance at Melbourne Stadium) – this figure included around 500 Weston fans who were magnificent throughout.
Man of the Match: An incredible performance from every single player, but top scorer Louis Britton steals the show with his stunning brace, the first of which will be replayed over and over again now and in the future.
