Mark Salter’s brace defeats young Weymouth side

BRIDPORT 2

Salter 9, 10

WEYMOUTH 0

TWO Mark Salter goals knocked defending champions Weymouth out of the Dorset Senior Cup first round as the Bees took a 2-0 victory at St Mary’s Field.

Salter scored twice in two minutes from superb Kameron Andrews and Lee Sweet passes, but Harry Baker saw a penalty saved by James Smith in the Terras’ best chance of the game.

Bridport made four changes to the side that beat Brislington 3-1 at the weekend, with Andrews, Alan Hill, Declan Cornish and Richard Hebditch all coming in.

Weymouth manager Mark Molesley made seven changes to the side that lost 4-1 at Hereford on Saturday as only Mark Cooper, Tiago Sa, Abdulai Baggie and Harry Baker remained.

In the first real chance of the game, Andrews broke down the right after a fortuitous ricochet, before curving a beautiful pass to set Salter through with the experienced striker showing a lethal touch to slot past Jordan Seabright.

Just 72 seconds later, Salter doubled the Bees’ lead after clinically planting a crisp side-footed finish from left-back Sweet’s cross.

Weymouth immediately earned a chance to get back into the game as Braeden Symes felled Ringwood Town trialist River Smith in the area, but Baker’s spot-kick was smartly saved by Smith, who flew to his right to cling to the striker’s shot in the 12th minute.

Seabright was then on hand to brilliantly deny Tom Richardson with an acrobatic stop.

But Weymouth responded through Pat Spiteri, who pulled a shot wide of the far post from the impressive Abdulai Baggie’s pass.

There was a bizarre turn of events just before half-time as linesman Simon Mitchem pulled up with a calf injury, delaying the second period by 10 minutes.

When play did resume, Sweet found Ed Butcher down the left who in turn played in Salter, but his shot was brilliantly stopped by Seabright.

From there, Weymouth dominated the play and Baggie set Smith through before the forward found McGrath, who stung Smith’s palms with a powerful drive.

Seabright was on hand to deny both Salter and Richardson in the closing stages, but the Bees were good value for their victory despite Weymouth’s improvement.

Bees: J Smith, Andrews (Rutter 56), Sweet, Symes, Hill, Bailey, Cornish, Richardson, Salter, Butcher (L Thomas 66), Hebditch (Latas 46). Sub not used: Martin

Terras: Seabright, James, Harvey, Farrugia, P Spiteri, Cooper (Walden 64), R Smith, McGrath, Baker (Wall 64, N Thomas 82), Baggie, Sa. Subs not used: Pitney, Sapsworth