Weymouth dismiss Row to maintain charge

HARTLEY WINTNEY 0

WEYMOUTH 3

Odubade 19, Thomson 69, Murray 74

A FIVE-minute blitz crowned a fine 3-0 win for Weymouth, as their title-seeking charge continued at Hartley Wintney in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier South.

Yemi Odubade scored the opening goal in the first half, while Ben Thomson earned a fine opportunistic goal in the 69th minute, swiftly followed up by Cameron Murray side-footing home in the 74th.

Results elsewhere meant that the table essentially remains the same with Taunton Town, Salisbury and Met Police all securing victories.

However, Poole Town’s 2-0 loss against Hendon ensured the Terras of at least a play-off spot come the end of the season.

There was just one change for Weymouth as Josh Carmichael came in for Murray.

Jack Martin was on the bench in place of Mark Childs alongside Murray, Jordan Ngalo and Josh Wakefield.

New signing Brennan Camp was absent with parent club AFC Bournemouth.

The two teams began well-matched and the Row had the first chance from a corner but Jack Ball headed straight at Weymouth goalkeeper Tom McHale.

Weymouth tried to reply when a great run from Thomson down the right saw him cut incisively into the Wintney penalty area, but the ball ran too far and Hartley goalkeeper Paul Strudley collected.

Hartley smacked an effort against the woodwork when the Row swung a free-kick in that Alexandru Albert nodded against the inside of the post, only to see it bounce away to safety.

Goodship replied with a snapshot from 25 yards out that whistled just over the bar.

Mitchell Parker then hesitated in possession for the home side when well-placed inside the box, and Weymouth were able to clear the ball away.

But the Terras took the lead after 19 minutes through a slick move.

A breakaway allowed Goodship to run in down the left, cut into the box and get to close to the byline and lay a pass across goal that Odubade slammed home joyously.

Abdulai Baggie then deserved a goal soon after.

He nipped in to intercept an innocuous throw-in from the home side and ran forward shrugging off numerous challenges, but fired straight at Strudley.

The game then quietened down for a time, with the home side forcing McHale into periodic simple saves.

Weymouth had an opportunity through two balls across the box, the first from a corner and the latter saw Goodship fail to get a good connection with the ball and the Row cleared.

The home side soon broke away after a poor corner from the visitors which did not clear the first man.

It looked dangerous, but Ashley Wells made a well-timed tackle to avert the danger.

At this point the home side’s captain Nathan Smart was becoming very audibly frustrated.

Goodship nearly soured his mood further when a snapshot swerved viciously over the home side’s bar just prior to half-time.

The second half opened in the same vein as the first, the Row with good build-up play but were unable to turn it into much more.

Goodship hit the side netting after intercepting a pass back to Strudley and whipped in a free-kick out of play in the early stages of the second half.

There was controversy when Alexandru went down injured and Weymouth went on the attack before Strudley collected the ball to end the chance as the referee blew the whistle.

Hartley responded with an opportunity, as Stephane Zubar had to clear a good ball in at the second attempt.

The Terras then blitzed the Row with two goals in five minutes.

Firstly, Thomson challenged Strudley for a lofted ball but won the challenge and he controlled before smashing in after 69 minutes.

Murray, who had barely arrived on the pitch as a substitute, was then on the receiving end of an Odubade ball across to side-foot home.

This in effect ended the game as a contest.

Hartley went in search of a consolation strike but Weymouth had clicked into a smooth gear at this point and rarely looked troubled as they saw the game out.

Weymouth host the Met Police tomorrow (7.45pm).

Terras: McHale, Brooks, Wells (Ngalo 61), Sherring, Zubar, McCarthy, Odubade, Carmichael (Murray 70), Thomson (Baker 79), Goodship, Baggie.

Subs not used: Wakefield, Martin,

Hartley Wintney: Strudley, Smart, Ball, Drage, Paget; Stewart, Albert (French 72), Ridge, Duff (Abubaker 72), Campbell (Smith 82), Parker

Subs not used: Newton, Webb