Photo: Tim Norbury

Keeper Travers strikes Weymouth winner

BISHOP’S STORTFORD 2

WEYMOUTH 3

GOALKEEPER Mark Travers scored a sensational winner to give Weymouth a 3-2 victory against Bishop’s Stortford in their Evo-Stik Southern Premier League encounter at the ProKitUK Stadium.

Jason Williams put the Blues ahead after 44 seconds, before a Ben Thomson double handed Weymouth a 2-1 lead after 18 minutes.

The hosts equalised after the break through Darren Foxley, before Travers’ remarkable goal gave the Terras all three points.

Manager Mark Molesley made one change to the side that beat Frome 4-1, with goalkeeper Travers returning in place of newly-signed stopper Gareth Stewart.

In a dream start for the Blues, Williams scored in the first minute when the striker allowed a lofted ball to float over his shoulder before lashing a 20-yard shot in off the post.

Fresh from conceding in the first minute, Weymouth were subjected to some intense Blues pressure until Thomson’s brace.

A Callum Buckley cross led to a mix-up between Foxley and Jordan Westcott, allowing Thomson to sweep the ball home.

And the forward doubled his tally five minutes later, rounding goalkeeper Nicky Eyre and slotting home.

It was now Weymouth who were firmly on top and the Terras had a further opportunity courtesy of Brandon Goodship who also rounded Eyre but, unlike Thomson, could not find a finish despite having three bites of the cherry.

Just before half-time Bishop’s Stortford had a goal disallowed for offside, Calvin Ekpiteta unlucky to see his fine finish from Foxley’s cross chalked off.

The hosts twice went close to an equaliser before the break, as Williams saw a goalbound header deflected wide, before Westcott failed to connect with a Dipo Akinyemi cross.

Weymouth continued to face heavy pressure in the second half and, after Travers made two excellent saves, the Blues finally got a leveller.

George Casey swung in a free-kick and picked out Foxley, who was on hand to head home on 74 minutes.

But just three minutes later Travers delivered a killer blow.

Having spotted his opposite number Eyre off his line, the Terras’ goalkeeper disguised a 75-yard shot that comfortably evaded his scrambling counterpart and sailed into the net.

And Weymouth were able to withstand a late spell of possession from the Blues to hold firm for a second successive away win, taking their tally to six points.

Bishop’s Stortford: Eyre, Casey, Tumwa, Hughes, Farquharson, Robinson, Ekpiteta (Owusu 86), Westcott, Akinyemi, Williams, Foxley

Subs not used: Richefond, Guerfi, Ekpiteta M, Spriggs

Terras: Travers, Brooks, Buckley, Wells, Rose (Sa 46), Carmichael, Davis, McCarthy, Thomson (Stewart 90+4), Goodship, Wakefield (Baker 64)

Subs not used: Rodriguez, J. Prodomo

Attendance: 288