Weymouth lose on opening day
WEYMOUTH were left frustrated on the opening day of the season as a Lewis Hillard’s goal directly from a corner was enough to secure the win for St Ives Town.
It was the Terras who created the first opportunity of the game when Callum Buckley whipped in a dangerous cross from a clever short corner routine, only to see it smothered by St Ives’ loanee keeper Kai McKenzie-Lyle.
The St Ives partnership of Phil Draycott and James Hall looked to be causing Weymouth problems at the back, Draycott and Hall hustled and bustled up top but were unable to convert any of their hard-work into a real chance at goal.
Summer signing Brandon Goodship, who, amongst many others, was making his competitive Weymouth debut, looked the most likely to open the scoring when he had a chance deflected wide for a corner followed by a long-range strike which was caught by McKenzie-Lyle.
On the half-an-hour mark, Josh Wakefield won a free-kick for the Terras about 25 yards from goal; Charlie Davis uncharacteristically struggled to test the keeper from the resulting set-piece.
St Ives Town could’ve counted themselves very unlucky not to the take the lead when just before half-time the Saints won a free-kick of their own which Draycott rattled against the bar.
Weymouth looked to start the second-half brightly when Tiago Sa broke down the left wing and delivered a looping cross which Calvin Brooks was unable to get hold of and sent his effort high over the bar.
Mark Molesley looked to add some impetus to the Terras front-line when he brought on another Summer signing Harry Baker in the 65th minute. However, it was newly appointed team captain Jake McCarthy who pushed for a Weymouth opener when he saw two efforts within quick succession go just wide of the target.
McCarthy then came close again when he headed wide from a Davis free-kick, but on the 83rd minute it was St Ives who scored from a set-piece of their own when a Lewis Hillard corner deceived Weymouth goalkeeper Nick Thomas, who looked to have been fouled in the process, and dropped into the far corner.
In a game between two evenly matched sides Hillard’s late goal proved to be enough as Weymouth could not find an answer in the final minutes of the game. Speaking to theterras.com after the game Mark Molesley said he was bitterly disappointed with the defeat, particularly after a strong pre-season campaign and said he thought it could have been down to a case of stage fright.
Terras: Thomas, Brooks, Sa, Wells, Buckley, Carmichael, McCarthy, Davis, Thomson, Goodship, Wakefield (Baker 65)
Subs not used: James, J Prodomo, Stewart, Rodriguez
St Ives: McKenzie-Lyle, Longden (Chaffey 90), Jarrold, Farrell, De’Ath, McGowan, Hilliard, Clark, Hall, Hartley (Kelly 67), Draycott (Seymour-Shove 79)
Attendance: 665