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Agony for King’s men in Somerset
THE Robins struck either side of the interval as Weymouth’s frustrating start to the season continued at the Alder Smith Stadium last night.
Mike Perrott and Dean Evans did the damage for Frome and at the same time heaped more pressure on the Terras, who have now won just one of their opening eight league games.
Weymouth boss Brendon King told Echosport: “We really got on top midway through the first half and began to play some really good stuff.
“Just prior to the half-hour mark, we then strung three or four passes together which ended with Stephen Reed switching it across to Scott Walker, who put over a fine cross for Craig Duff to head in at the far post.
“It was a great goal and exactly what we deserved but for some reason the referee ruled it out for a supposed push by Craig.
“It was never a foul and to make matters worse they then hoofed a hopeful ball into the box two minutes before the break for one of their players to loop a header over Simon Evans.
“It was a goal from absolutely nowhere and unfortunately it knocked us for six.
“We then came out and started the second half really well but once again conceded another sloppy goal and after that they just put 10 men behind the ball in a bid to see it out.
“We tried to break them down but although we knocked the ball around well at times, we weren’t ruthless enough again in the final third.
“It is hard to take and I think some of the boys are feeling a bit sorry for themselves but we need to make sure we pick ourselves up quickly ahead of another tough trip to Basingstoke Town in the FA Cup on Saturday.”
King made just one change to the side that lost 1-0 against Hemel Hempstead Town last time out with Barry McConnell replacing Scott Dixon, who dropped to the bench.
A scrappy opening to the game saw the Robins threaten first with a couple of headers that flew off target but as the half wore on Weymouth slowly got on top.
Ben Joyce and Dan Smith both threatened before Duff headed home at the far post on 28 minutes, only to see the effort harshly disallowed for an apparent push on a defender.
The Terras continued to press but just like against Hemel they then conceded against the run of play.
The goal came on 43 minutes when a hopeful punt into the box saw Perrott loop a header from just inside the box over Simon Evans, who was caught hopelessly off his line.
That setback hit the Terras hard and just two minutes into the second half things got even worse. A quick throw-in by the Robins quickly led to a fine cross and this time it was Dean Evans that gone on the end of it to nod the ball home at the far post.
Weymouth now had a mountain to climb and on 51 minutes they responded with a decent effort from Scott Walker, whose free-kick whistled just past Darren Chitty’s right-hand post.
Lewis Powell then went close with a shot on the turn before Nat Auckland raced clean through, only to blaze his effort over the crossbar as Frome went in search of a third.
At the other end, the Terras huffed and puffed with substitute Matt Groves going close but the Robins’ defence stood firm and with 15 minutes remaining it was the hosts that got on top again with Powell striking a post and Matt Smith heading just over the crossbar.
Weymouth kept working up until the final whistle but seven points from eight games is an extremely disappointing return from a squad that clearly has the potential to do so much better.
