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WEYMOUTH put all of the weekend’s off-field drama behind them to seal three vital points at Bideford, and get back to winning ways in the Southern Premier League. Having fallen behind midway through the first half, Chris Shephard and Adam Kelly linked up on two separate occasions either side of the break to ensure Jason Matthews’ charges turned things around and responded superbly to claim the win in Devon. Following the weekend’s shock defeat to struggling Histon, boss Matthews made two changes to his starting XI. Jake Wannell, who was sent off after just three minutes on Saturday, dropped to the bench with his suspension looming and was replaced by Jordan Copp at left-back. There was also a change of shape for the Terras with midfielder Steve Colwell coming in to start his first league game of the season, replacing frontman Tim Sills. For hosts Bideford, they handed a first start for Torquay United loanee Niall Thompson, a former Weymouth winger who spent a short spell with the club back in January. With disaster occurring so early on Saturday, Weymouth were keen to get off to a bright start and they forced the first chance of the game through George Rigg, who saw his effort fall marginally wide of the post as the visitors signalled their intent from the outset. That intent then almost turned into the opening goal as skipper Stewart Yetton swiftly ghosted past his man inside the hosts’ box, but pulled his shot off target. But for all the visitors’ endeavour, it was Bideford who took the lead on 21 minutes with virtually their first opportunity. Some slick work down the left-hand side saw Matt Wright pull the ball back for the run of Sean Downing, who was left in acres of space by the Terras’ defence to strike past Matthews. However, after the visiting player-manager was called into action again to deny Craig Veal on the counter, the Terras grabbed a priceless equaliser through Shephard on 40 minutes. The creative midfielder linked up well with Kelly and bought himself some room on the right- hand side. When he pulled the trigger, Bideford keeper Lloyd Irish could do nothing to stop the strike, which cannoned in off the inside of a post, meaning the sides went in level at the break. After withstanding some pressure early in the second period, Shephard and Kelly were then at it again as the duo combined once more to clinch the winner on 52 minutes. Shephard on this occasion turned provider, as he played a precise through ball for his fellow midfielder, who made no mistake to apply a classy finish. Bideford then replaced first-half substitute Danny Wring, who came on for Matt Villis in the opening period, with Nick Barker just short of the hour mark. The Terras were forced to hold firm as the Robins pushed on, but the lively Shephard nearly made it three as he forced goalkeeper Irish into making a finger-tip stop to deny him a brace. Weymouth stopper Matthews then made a vital save of his own with five minutes left as Bideford came agonisingly close to making it 2-2 through Wright. But the Terras held on to clinch a vital three points, which puts them into the Southern Premier League’s top three.
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