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Yetts strikes late to rock the Robins
GOOD things come to those who wait, and that was certainly the case for Weymouth’s Stewart Yetton at the Bob Lucas Stadium tonight.
The deadly frontman put home a delightful ball from second-half substitute Mark Molesley to give the hosts their second home win in three games.
The Robins, who also posed a potent threat themselves, struck the woodwork twice through striker Matty Andrew in what was a eventful contest.
The Terras made one change to the side that played out a goalless draw against Paulton Rovers last time out.
Josh Grant, who made his league debut in Saturday’s game as a second-half substitute, got a go from the start as he came in to replace midfielder Billy Lowes in a slight change of shape for the hosts.
For the visitors, Torquay United loanee Liam Prynn, who netted five minutes from time at King’s Lynn at the weekend, was not named in the travelling party.
Despite not being named in the match day squad, Terras’ fans would have been pleased to see Chris Shephard out there during the warm-ups as he continues to recover from an ankle injury that has kept him out of the start of the campaign.
After a slow start, Weymouth’s Adam Kelly gave himself a sighter as he blazed over with a right-footed strike and Bideford’s Josh Charran scuffed an effort straight at player-manager Jason Matthews.
Good work from Jordan Copp then won the hosts a corner on 14 minutes but, moments later, the Robins had burst forward up the other end.
Ben Wood had surged past Mark Cooper down the right but, with no support, his ball across goal came to nothing. Bideford keeper Kyle Moore was then tested at his near post when he beat away a 20-yard stinger from Jake Wannell.
The best move of the game at that point then saw Copp, Kelly and Grant carve the visitors open.
The latter laid the ball off to Dean Evans, who side-footed an effort straight into Moore’s grasp.
A scare for the Terras then ensued moments later however when a defensive lapse saw Bideford’s Andrew hit a sweet strike which rattled against the upright with Matthews a spectator as it flew past him.
Grant looked lively in a front two with Yetton, and the pair, both formerly of Plymouth Argyle, combined well just before the half hour.
The former drove past his full-back and cut the ball back to the skipper, whose effort just needed a little more venom to cause problems.
As he switched flanks with Copp, Kelly then won his fourth penalty for the hosts in as many league games. He went down as he surged in from the left flank and referee Andy Bennett pointed directly to the spot.
Up stepped Copp, who had been ever reliable from the spot, to strike a against a post, as a golden chance went begging. A pair of big openings then passed Yetton by as the sides reached the break.
His first effort deflected just wide for a corner. The second saw Moore pull off a top-drawer save to his right after Kelly played a devilish ball into the frontman’s path.
Wannell then glanced wide and Kelly curled a strike over from inside the area, as the Terras’ continued to push after the interval.
But, as the home side failed to find the net at one end, they were warned by that man Andrew once again at the other.
He was allowed to carry the ball unchallenged on the counter and let fly from 30 yards with a dipping effort which cannoned off the bar.
Mark Molesley, who was an injury doubt before the clash, was then introduced in place of the cautioned Evans.
Bideford then protested to the referee’s assistant as they had the ball in the net with around 20 minutes left when Kevin Squires tapped home Wood’s cutback, but Squires was flagged offside as Matthews’ troops continued to live dangerously.
George Rigg then shanked an effort well off target much to his frustration, as Weymouth assistant Tim Sills was brought on up front in place of Grant.
And with just one minute of normal time remaining, neat work from the Terras inside the Bideford area saw Molesley show his class.
He found space to clip a ball into the path of Yetton, who simply could not miss to give Weymouth all three points at the death.
