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Weymouth see off the Stutes with late winnerWEYMOUTH left it late once again at the Bob Lucas Stadium but eventually got the three points they deserved against a resilient Histon outfit. The Terras finally broke the deadline in stoppage time when captain Stewart Yetton’s strike came off defender Elkanan Sibanda, the young full back turning the ball home with nearly the last kick of the game. Following their agonising loss at Dorchester Town last time out, a defeat which manager Jason Matthews admitted left him feeling hurt at the Avenue, the Terras shook things up and made three changes to their starting XI. In came Chris McPhee, Billy Lowes and Jordan Copp. Sacrificed were Ben Thomson, Adam Kelly and George Rigg. There was no place in the squad for Jake Wannell or Josh Grant but Matthews sprung a surprise by naming Chris Shephard in the match day party for the first time this season. The playmaker was included after falling off a rope swing in Bali in the summer, sustaining an ankle injury that had put him out of action for the start of the season. With Shephard looking on from the bench initially, the hosts were given an early scare. Weymouth gave away a dangerous free-kick on the edge of the area allowing Ryan Auger to send a low fizzer just past Matthews’ left hand post from 20 yards. It did not take long for Weymouth to have a sight at the Stutes’ goal soon after however, when Mark Molesley cut inside and put his strike into the grasp of visiting keeper Denzel Gerrar. Gerrar was then an onlooker as the Terras came within millimetres of going 1-0 up on 14 minutes. After some neat work on the edge of the area, skipper Yetton fed the returning Copp and his placed effort bounced back off the inside of a post and away to safety. Good work again down the left for Weymouth then saw full-back Mark Cooper get forward and link up with Copp, his ball in then found Yetton, whose shot was blocked as the Terras kept the pressure on. Another great opportunity was carved out by Matthews’ men as Yetton was slid in by a precise ball from Dean Evans but the hitman man failed to convert and McPhee, who operated in a more advanced role, could not threaten on the follow up. Lowes then found half a yard and hit a sweet left foot strike which rippled the side netting and Evans put a tame effort wide. As the half grew on, Weymouth spurned further opportunities. Hitman Yetton slid in after he was found again by Copp, this time on a brisk counter. But, for all their dominance, Weymouth could have been behind 10 minutes short of the break. A sublime touch and turn from Stutes’ striker Curtis Fulcher allowed him to produce a rare strike at goal. Having had almost nothing to do in the game so far, Matthews was smartly off his line to make a smart save. Copp, who continued to cause problems down the left, then delivered a pinpoint cross onto the head of Yetton, his attempt clipped a post and stopper Gerrar somehow tipped the ball over the top onto the roof of the net as the sides went in at the break level. A fairly quiet 15 minute spell after the break saw Molesley flattened by full-back Sibanda, who received a caution. Shephard then received a warm ovation from the home fans as he was introduced just past the hour mark and he stabbed the ball just wide five minutes into his re-introduction. Copp was then brought off in place of Kelly, to a smattering boos from the home fans, who made their feelings about the switch known. Assistant Tim Sills was also introduced for the final 10 minutes and he really should have broken the deadlock. He blazed over from six yards after Brooks had galloped forward and drilled into the danger zone. But, just when it was going to look like another blank score sheet for the Terras, they conjured up some magic in stoppage time. Following a good break from Kelly and Shephard, Yetton gathered the ball on the right and fired at goal. His effort came off covering defender Sibanda, playing his first game for the Stutes, and fell into the net to send the home fans wild. |