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Wands wiped out as Weymouth book place in FA Trophy first roundBy Dan Rose |
WEYMOUTH booked their place in the first round proper of this season’s FA Trophy, as they came from behind to overcome Cray Wanderers at the Bob Lucas Stadium.The Terras fell behind on 15 minutes when Adrian Stone fired the Wands in front, but the hosts roared back thanks to a Stewart Yetton brace and a late Tristan Plummer goal on the last game of his loan spell from Aldershot.
There were two Weymouth changes from the side that won at Burnham last Saturday, as Calvin Brooks replaced Sam Poole at centre-half and Chris Shephard made his return in place of Adam Kelly. And a lively start could have seen either side, who were both yet to concede in the competition before kick-off, find the net in the opening seven minutes. A neat through ball from Cray’s Michael Phillips picked out the run of winger Hussein Isa, who lacked composure as he dragged the first effort of the contest wide with his left foot. Moments later, Yetton was then guilty of failing to find the target for the Terras. After a sweeping ball forward from Jordan Copp, the Weymouth skipper found space to gather Tim Sills’ knockdown, and couldn’t quite place his shot into the bottom corner. Chris Shephard was then chopped down 20 yards from goal and picked himself up to try his luck with the resulting free-kick, and struck the ball inches over the top. But on 15 minutes, the Terras were rocked when the Wands took the lead. Left-back Marlon Patterson’s cross found Wands’ striker Stone, who rifled into the bottom corner past a sprawling Matthews. A routine long ball then caused the home side problems, as Laurent Hamici tussled his way through and tested the Weymouth stopper down to his left. But the Terras then found their spark and it was Yetton who doubled his trophy tally from open play this season to put the home team level. He bundled the ball home from close range after a slick Weymouth passing move saw Shephard cross to the head of Sills. George Rigg then hit a snap shot just wide of the mark and Yetton almost added another to his tally for the campaign, but he couldn’t connect with a cross from the left flank. The Weymouth captain continued to be at the forefront as he then teed up Shephard to hit a powerful drive at Wands’ keeper Darren Behcet, but the stopper didn’t have to move and comfortably took the ball into his clutches. After the break, both sides showed their intent to prevent a replay as Weymouth pushed men forward, and Cray remained a threat on the counter. Weymouth had the ball in the net on the hour mark, but striker Yetton’s run was flagged offside by referee Adam Ricketts’ assistant. Hamichi then forced Matthews into a fairly routine save, and Weymouth brought on Kelly for Steve Colwell in a bid to search for a winner. And seconds after entering the fray, the Weymouth winger had an instant impact. He showed quick feet and was brought down inside the area to earn his side a penalty, and Yetton stepped up to grab his second goal of the game as he smashed the spot-kick down the middle with authority. Kelly then could have grabbed one of his own but he put the ball wide with the visitors stretched, and Hamichi rifled a warning strike at the Terras’ goal with the score still at 2-1. But the tie was then wrapped up six minutes from time when substitute Plummer ended his spell with the club on a high note, nodding the ball home from close range to put the Terras into Monday’s draw. |