Stephane Zubar brace caps fine win for Weymouth

STAINES TOWN 1

Barker 8

WEYMOUTH 4

Goodship 15, Zubar 55, 86 McCarthy 63

WEYMOUTH put any doubts about form firmly to bed with a dominant and assured 4-1 win away at 10-man Staines Town, with Stephane Zubar notching a brace in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier South.

The Terras had initially gone behind to a penalty from George Barker, but Brandon Goodship rocketed in eight minutes after the goal to equalise.

A tense first half followed before Weymouth were able to turn the screw, highlighted with a lovely 20-yard free-kick into the net from captain Jake McCarthy.

The result puts the Terras back at the top of the table after they were toppled by Hartley Wintney, albeit having played a game more, after Wintney last weekend beat the same opponents 5-3.

Weymouth were able to boast the return of defender Calvin Brooks on Thursday and he started the match on the bench before making an appearance when he replaced Jordan Ngalo after 69 minutes.

Despite the good momentum coming from the Brooks signing and Sam Sherring making his first start for the Terras, Weymouth had a terrible start.

After six minutes a foul in the box earned the home side a penalty, which Barker happily swiped under Weymouth goalkeeper Jordan Seabright to hand the Swans the lead.

However, the Terras were not behind for long as the ever-dependable Goodship rifled in his ninth goal of the season to equalise after 15 minutes.

Good work from Abdulai Baggie found Goodship on the edge of the box, who shrugged off a defender to fire past Louis Dixon in the Staines goal.

The Terras then had a promising passage of play as they looked to create a further chance but the ball rolled out for a goal-kick to the Swans.

A minute later and the Swans had an opportunity of their own when they won a free-kick on the edge of the Terras’ box.

However, Harry Agombar put the effort over the bar to avoid any serious danger for Weymouth.

Ben Thomson crafted a lovely chance as he shrugged off two Staines defenders to fire in but Dixon was equal to it.

Staines twice went close in consecutive minutes as Barker hit the ball over the bar from a great cross in, before a shot whistled past the Terras’ post from outside the box.

A minute later Josh Wakefield created a good shot from outside the box, but saw it pushed out for a corner by Dixon.

There was a late scare in the first half when Staines were able to race through one-on-one against Seabright but the Weymouth goalkeeper was able to avert the danger.

The two sides went in level at the break, despite both having good chances to take the lead.

Four minutes into the second half, Thomson conjured a great chance for Weymouth as he fed the ball back to Goodship, who slipped while shooting and saw his shot go wide of the post.

However, Weymouth would not have to wait long to take the lead for the first time in a match since the 4-3 defeat at Farnborough.

Great work from Antonio Diaz and Goodship allowed the latter to cross which Zubar nodded in past Dixon to move the Terras 2-1 up.

Both sides quickly made substitutions as Weymouth brought on Warren Bentley for Thomson, who had a good match.

Wakefield then put in a free-kick in towards the Staines’ back post but the ball evaded everyone and went out for a goal-kick.

The momentum was with the visitors now and if any proof of that was required then the third goal soon arrived in the form of a great 20-yard free-kick from captain McCarthy.

Brooks did not need to wait long to be back among the action, as he laid the ball off to Wakefield, who fired in but saw his shot hit the post and out for a Staines’ goal-kick.

Weymouth would have a fourth and Zubar would have his second as he nodded in a Wakefield free-kick to further extend the lead after 86 minutes.

There was late drama as Alfie Fleming was sent off for a second yellow card after fouling Ashley Wells as the game was drifting to its conclusion, which saw the Terras comfortably win.

Weymouth are next in action on Tuesday when they travel to Wimborne Town in the first round of the Southern League Cup (7.45pm).

Staines: Dixon, Lavender, Fleming, Agombar, Cofie (Handelaar 79), Milenge, Clarke, Odetola (Fry 59), Ali (Charles-Valentine 73), Barker, Gogo.

Subs not used: Gordon-Stearn, Wickens

Weymouth: Seabright, Wells, Diaz, Sherring, Zubar, McCarthy, Ngalo (Brooks 69), Wakefield, Thomson (Bentley 58), Goodship (Davis 76), Baggie

Subs not used: Thomas, Molesley