|
Slick Weymouth see off the Waders
By Dan Rose
| A BLISTERING opening 25 minutes saw Weymouth overcome Biggleswade Town at the Bob Lucas Stadium, to record their seventh straight league win.Strikes from Stewart Yetton, Steve Colwell and Calvin Brooks put the home side in control throughout the contest, and although the Waders hit back through Lee Reed and replacement Craig Daniels, Jason Matthews’ troops held firm to kick off their festive campaign with a win.
The hosts made just one change from the 5-0 thumping they suffered at Havant & Waterlooville in the FA Trophy in midweek, as Chris Shephard came straight back into the XI after overcoming a groin injury to replace Jordan Copp. Seeing plenty of the ball early on, the Terras camped in the visitors’ half from the outset and got their reward on five minutes with their first shot on target. Adam Kelly jinked away from his man on the left hand side and delivered a devilish ball to the near post, and as so often has been the case this term, Yetton was first to react inside the area and he poked the ball under Ian Brown in the Waders’ goal. And it was soon 2-0 just after the quarter of an hour mark when Kelly’s surging run put a Waders’ defender on his backside. He then threaded a ball through for Colwell, whose shot found the top corner as he wheeled away in celebration. Jake Wannell then headed narrowly over and Yetton must have thought he had scored from close range once more, but he was denied by a point-blank save from Brown. Weymouth then only had to wait a few moments to add their third as a free-kick from the right was scrambled home by Yeovil Town loanee Brooks after 25 minutes – his second goal for the club – as the home side continued to run riot. But almost out of nowhere, the Waders struck with their first shot on goal, through a moment of magic from midfielder Reed. He was given the room to hammer a strike which flew into the back of Matthews’ net on 38 minutes, with the sprawling player-manager left helpless. Powerful frontman Kelvin Bossman then started to make a slight impact on proceedings for the visitors, who had spent most of the opening period working hard off the ball. His clams for a penalty after tussling with Jamie Laird were waved away by the match official, and with no support around him again minutes later, he put a low effort just wide of the post. Weymouth new boy Alec Fiddes was introduced in place of Shephard on 54 minutes, and nearly scored with his first touch. After another melee in the visitors’ box, the former Weston-super-Mare man saw his shot at goal denied on the away side’s line, and as the ball was put out for a corner, he stood with his head in his hands. Yetton then showed his tenacity as he did his best to pounce on a defensive mix up, only to be thwarted by a last gasp challenge by ex-Terra Gavin Hoyte, on his debut after switching from St Neots on Thursday. But Hoyte’s next challenge in the area was a rash one, and it resulted in the home side earning a penalty when Kelly was brought down. Looking to add his second of the afternoon, Yetton stepped up and smashed the spot-kick against the bar and the Terras’ advantage stayed at 3-1. Kelly, who deserved a goal for his stellar performance throughout the afternoon, must have thought he had then added a fourth on 85 minutes. Another intricate run from the midfielder saw him apply a deft chip over Brown, and somehow a covering defender hooked the ball off the line once more. The Waders then did their best to set up a grandstand finish and shake the home side, as replacement Daniels’ low drive capped a neat breakaway move from the visitors. But Weymouth deserved the three points on the day, and march on to Dorchester Town on Boxing Day in sublime league form.
|
