Swindon frustrate 10-man Weymouth

SWINDON SUPERMARINE 1

McDonagh 10

WEYMOUTH 1

Brooks 39

CALVIN Brooks scored his first goal of the season as Weymouth were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw away at Swindon Supermarine in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier South.

Supermarine had a superb start and scored after 10 minutes through Conor McDonagh and could have been two goals up before Weymouth’s late first-half equaliser and there was late drama when Harry Baker was sent off for an off the ball incident.

Weymouth had a difficult start to the match and were quite swiftly a goal down after McDonagh’s effort, however, they nearly found themselves 2-0 down after 12.

Firstly McDonagh headed in a cross from Bradley Gray past Terras’ goalkeeper Jordan Seabright as Supermarine took the lead after 10 minutes.

Two minutes later, the home side nearly had a second, when former Terra Stuart Fleetwood got in behind the back four but pulled his shot wide of the goal.

Weymouth almost found an early goal back after 18 minutes, when the ball bounced around in the Swindon box but could not find a Terras’ touch to put it in past Kev Sawyer in the Supermarine goal.

Gray and McDonagh then almost swapped their earlier roles, as the latter put the ball on a plate for the former before Gray fired over from 16-yards out.

After 31 minutes, Weymouth almost conceded again in an identical fashion to the first goal.

Gray swung in a ball towards McDonagh who again had a free header but he put the ball over the bar after 31 minutes, to the Terras’ relief.

Supermarine had another chance to double their lead when Jon Else crossed in towards Brad Hooper, who fired over from the edge of the box.

Weymouth were struggling to create any noteworthy chances as the first half went on.

Yet the Terras found a way to equalise through Brooks.

A bad headed back pass from Michael Hopkins allowed Brooks to get in and lob a headed effort over Sawyer to put Weymouth level after 39 minutes.

This seemed to spark Weymouth into life as Sam Sherring then went close from a corner minutes later.

The second half started slowly with both sides staying deadlocked as they looked for a breakthrough.

Yet when it did come to life chances began to fall in quick succession as both teams added a sense of urgency in getting the crucial goal.

Jake McCarthy was the first to threaten the breakthrough when he shot from 30-yards out but saw it rise over the bar after 55 minutes.

A minute later, Swindon almost re-took the lead when McDonagh fed Gray who was denied by Seabright at point-blank range.

Weymouth then went close again after 59 minutes, when a well-worked set piece came to Brandon Goodship, who got a shot off but saw his effort cleared away by Swindon.

Yet more chances were engineered by Weymouth but found Sawyer in impressive form.

Firstly the Terras tore down the left before Goodship fired in a powerful shot that Sawyer was equal to and moments later Sawyer again saved from a low Wakefield drive.

The game saw a brief pause when Fleetwood received treatment for a head injury but he was fine to carry on.

Baker was then introduced in place of Warren Bentley as he looked to repeat last week’s heroics.

Swindon managed to fire in after 76 minutes but McDonagh was denied by the offside flag.

Despite the best efforts of the two sides they could not find a way past each other, with the game level at the 80 minute mark and finely poised.

Michael Hopkins then received a yellow card for a foul on Brooks after 83 minutes.

Substitute Ryan Campbell then put in a teasing ball towards Fleetwood but the former Weymouth man could not find a touch.

McDonagh, who had a fantastic match, then put a ball in that was met by Campbell but he could not fire in.

The ball fell to Hooper who volleyed over from close range to the Weymouth fans’ relief.

There was late drama as Baker was sent off for an off the ball incident after 90 minutes.

The Terras are next in action when they travel to Tiverton Town on Tuesday (7.45pm).

Swindon: Sawyer, Hopkins, Ifil, Coupe, Else, Thompson (Campbell 62), Shepherd, Hooper, Gray, McDonagh, Fleetwood.

Subs not used: Selman, Bampton, Westlake, Jarra.

Terras: Seabright, Brooks, Sa, Sherring, Zubar, McCarthy, Ngalo (Diaz 84), Wakefield, Bentley (Baker 69), Goodship, Baggie

Subs not used: Wells, Thomas, Carmichael.