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Zubar rescues a point for Weymouth at Cinderford
STEPHANE Zubar popped up with a crucial goal to give Weymouth a share of the spoils after they threw away a first-half lead at Cinderford Town.
The powerful defender flicked in a well worked set-piece move from Jason Matthews’ side in a draw that, on the grand scheme of things, may feel like two points dropped for the visitors.
Ben Thomson netted the opener at the Causeway before Weymouth were hit by a double blast from Blaine Waugh and Karnell Chambers – meaning Zubar had to save the day.
The Terras’ were forced into making one change from the side that walloped Stratford 5-0 at the weekend.
Central defender Calvin Brooks was ruled out through injury, meaning Mark Cooper came back into the back four and Jake Wannell switched from full-back to centre-half.
There was also a spot on the bench for Jordan Copp, who returned to the squad.
Cinderford went into the contest against the Terras bottom of the Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division and smarting off the back of a feisty 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Hayes & Yeading, in which they went down to nine men.
Both Waugh and captain Josh Nelmes, who were shown red on Saturday, started against the Terras, but it was Weymouth who had the first real chance.
Dan Smith worked keeper Ben Fletcher with a tame effort before Stewart Yetton fired over from 20 yards. Ben Hands then forced a save out of Terras’ stopper Dan Thomas at the other end.
As the away side pushed forward again, Chris Shephard forced a sublime save from Fletcher as the Weymouth playmaker looked to add to his brace recorded at Stratford.
A free-kick from Cinderford’s Sam Hicks then flew just over the bar.
Yetton then had a big chance when he was given a clear path at the Cinderford goal and saw his attempt thwarted but soon after the Terras were ahead.
A classy move involving Smith and Thomson saw the latter pull the trigger and find the net on 22 minutes for his first league goal of the season.
Free-kicks seemed the home side’s best chance of finding a leveller and Hicks came close with one that was just off target as Weymouth kept their advantage at the interval.
But soon after the break the hosts, who started the half really brightly, drew level. A cross from the left from Hands found Waugh, who headed home for 1-1.
It was then almost 2-1 when Chambers went agonizingly close for Cinderford after latching on to a corner.
But he did not have to wait too much longer to make his mark on the clash as Town turned the game on its head and made it 2-1.
Gethyn Hill won the ball and found Chambers, who burst through and smashed a low drive into the net.
With that prompted a double change from Terras’ boss Matthews as Smith and Yetton made way for Copp and Sam Jordan.
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Zubar then headed just wide from a corner as a stunned Weymouth looked to regroup and get back on level terms.
But with his second bite of the cherry, there was the former AFC Bournemouth man to flick home a well-worked set-piece move and level things up once more.
Player-manager Matthews then found himself sent to the stands by the match official late on, to sum up what was a frustrating night for the Terras.
