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Lacklustre Weymouth stunned by Slough
By Dorset ECHO
| LACKLUSTRE Weymouth recorded back-to-back league defeats for the first time this season, as they were well beaten by Slough Town at Holloways Park.
A first-half brace from striker Ed Smith along with a Jamie Laird own goal proved the Terras’ demise, and scuppered their record of seven away league contests without defeat. Boss Jason Matthews made no hesitation in thrusting the three new faces he hauled in on Friday straight into his starting XI, against a Slough outfit who had not played for two weeks prior to kick off. Calvin Brooks, snapped up after his contract expired at Yeovil Town in midweek, came straight back into the heart of the defence allowing Chris McPhee to move back into the midfield. Exeter loanees Jamie Reid and Connor Riley-Lowe also came into the XI and Tim Sills returned to start for the Terras. Chris Shephard missed out through suspension, Adam Kelly, Alec Fiddes and Jordan Copp all dropped to the bench. But despite the fresh changes, it was a case of déjà vu for Weymouth, as they fell behind from the first attack of the contest. With just 25 seconds on the clock, a cross into the visitors’ box was met by the head of Rebels’ striker Smith, who looped the ball over Matthews into the corner of the net. In a nervy first 10 minutes for the away side, startled Weymouth then fashioned their first real chance on 10 minutes. Sills, playing as the figurehead of the Terras’ forward line, rose highest to knock the ball down and feed Yetton, but he could not make the most of the opportunity. And it went from bad to worse for Matthews’ men just two minutes later. Jake Parsons’ cross found the head of Smith once more, and his attempt cannoned off Weymouth defender Jamie Laird, who was helpless as it fell into the net. The Terras then attempted to settle and a Reid effort was well struck, forcing a sharp save from Rebels’ gloveman Luke Williams, on his debut after featuring for Hereford United earlier this season. Yetton was then booked for simulation after he went down on the edge of the Slough area, but moments later, the Rebels added their third. Weymouth defender Brooks, playing his first game as a permanent addition to the squad, was caught in possession and Guy Hollis nipped in to slide in Smith again. He applied a cool finish on 37 minutes to make it 3-0. Reid was then unlucky as he saw Williams push the ball onto a post, and Sills failed to convert on the follow up. It could have even been four for the home side before the break as Matthews was forced into making a sharp stop to deny Smith his hat-trick. Kelly was then introduced in place of Steve Colwell just nine minutes into the second period in an attempt to add some impetus. From his corner, McPhee rose highest and was only denied by the fingertips of goalkeeper Williams, who palmed the ball over the crossbar just short of the hour mark. Matthews then turned a shot wide from Parsons, and from the resulting corner, Reece York’s ball across goal failed to be met by any of his team-mates. Winger Fiddes was then thrown on in place of Sills as the Terras’ changed their shape, with McPhee joining the attack and firing just wide. Rebels’ replacement James Dobson then blazed the ball over after Rigg gave the ball away, and in a performance where Weymouth failed live up to their table-topping status, they succumbed to a disappointing 3-0 loss.
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