Harry Baker blasts in as Weymouth finally break Wimborne
WEYMOUTH 1
Baker 84
WIMBORNE TOWN 0
HARRY Baker gave Weymouth a deserved and late 1-0 win over a stubborn Wimborne Town side, with the Bob Lucas exploding with relief and sheer electric joy in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier South.
Baker fired home in the 84th minute to send the Terras’ faithful into rapturous applause, against a side that at times employed a flat defensive line of six men.
Weymouth made six changes to the team that lost 2-0 to Wimborne on Tuesday as Tiago Sa, Calvin Brooks, Jake McCarthy, Jordan Ngalo and Warren Bentley were the only players to keep their place from that defeat.
Wimborne made four changes as they presented a side closer to the one that earned the 2-0 win on Tuesday, although both goalscorers on the evening, Rhys Owen and Louis Kellaway, were dropped to the bench.
The match began at a frantic pace as a late tackle from Sam Sherring had Wimborne’s Lee Francis down, for which he earned an early yellow card.
Brooks was making an early impression in helping to get play moving down the right-hand side for Weymouth.
Great pressure from Weymouth almost yielded early results, when McCarthy was able to break forward, but an attempt to feed Brandon Goodship saw the move break down.
It was one-way traffic yet Weymouth were struggling to create a clear-cut opportunity.
Yet it was the visitors who had the best early chance when Luke Burbidge put in a teasing ball into the far post which Tobias Holmes missed from about two yards out.
The visitors’ chance sharpened the Terras up as opportunities began to fall in quick succession.
Firstly, McCarthy put a tempting ball across the six-yard line but could not find a fellow Terra.
Then, Goodship whipped in a shot that forced Wimborne goalkeeper Gerard Benfield into a good low save and despite the ball coming out to Bentley the home side could not take advantage.
Brooks then teed up Goodship with a nice cross but the marksman leant back while jumping to reach it and as a result could not trouble Benfield in the Wimborne goal.
Brooks then proved vital in the Terras’ best chance of the half when he got down the right and into the penalty box, before laying the ball off which reached Goodship who fired in, yet Matthew Oldring got a head on the seemingly goal-bound shot to end the chance.
Despite their dominance Weymouth could not find a way through.
Abdulai Baggie fired in a shot late on in the half from 30 yards out which Benfield saved, yet from the rebound Goodship pounced but fired his shot from an angle back at Benfield.
The second half started quietly, with Weymouth monopolising possession but without being able to create a real clear-cut chance to take what would have been a deserved lead.
Wimborne had the first real threatening moment of the half, when the ball was played up towards Luke Holmes but Weymouth goalkeeper Jordan Seabright was alert enough to come and punch the ball clear.
Wimborne then wasted good build-up play when Burbidge attempted to play the ball on but sent it out of play.
Bentley then went close after breaking through the visitors’ well-stocked backline but his effort went wide.
Weymouth began surging back at the visitors which seemed to come with the arrival of Baker in place of Bentley.
Baker had two chances in quick succession, seeing one effort blocked away and the other curling wide.
The Terras were knocking on the door yet still could not find a way through.
A free-kick from 30 yards out then carved another glittering chance for the home side.
Wakefield swung the ball in and McCarthy nodded towards the far post, but Benfield made a fantastic save to deny him.
Wimborne were still a threat however, as Burbidge forced Sherring to get in the way of a clearance from a break forward.
However, Baker got his deserved goal when he slotted in to a wild reception from the home crowd.
Wimborne should have levelled late on but Kellaway and Burbidge both missed good chances.
Weymouth travel to promoted side Swindon Supermarine on Saturday (3pm).
Weymouth: Seabright, Brooks, Tiago Sa, Sherring, Zubar, McCarthy, Ngalo, Wakefield, Bentley (Baker 64), Goodship (Carmichael 86), Baggie
Subs not used: Wells, Thomas, Diaz.
Wimborne: Benfield, Lee, Penny, Davidson, Oldring, Francis (Kellaway 85), Stokoe, L Holmes, T Holmes, Burbidge, Young.
Subs not used: Mayburry, Collins, Arnold, Owen.
Attendance: 942
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