WEYMOUTH 9
Gammon 21, 43, 50, Laws 31, 58, 80, Hutchinson 46, Powell 64, Hale 82
CINDERFORD TOWN 0
Weymouth shot to the top of the Dr Martens Southern Division with a spectacular nine-goal salvo that delighted their fans.
A crowd of 1,109 — bigger than most in either the Premier Division or Vauxhall Conference— saw Terras’ top scorer David Laws hit a hat-trick to take his goal tally to an impressive 32 in 40 matches.
And the second highest crowd of the season at the Wessex Stadium saw Mark Gammon, plucked from the obscurity of the South-Western League by manager Fred Davies to become an attacking wing-back star, hammer three goals as well, backed up by others from Ian Hutchinson, Darren Powell and Matthew Hale.
Lowly Cinderford appeared to come to Weymouth looking to fight their way out of trouble and pressed their own self-destruct button.
Their tough tactics completely backfired, however, as the confident Terras stormed to their eighth victory in succession.
As early as the third minute Cinderford had defender Stuart Smith sent off following an incident with Gammon in which punches were thrown as both players fell and the referee had no hesitation
in red-carding Smith, while Gammon was left on the ground receiving treatment from physio Bob Lucas.
Several other Cinderford names went into the referee’s book following other niggling incidents and in the last-minute visiting striker Mark Evans was also given his marching orders following a pushing clash with Powell.
To their credit, not a single Weymouth player had his name taken.
Another Cinderford player, central-defender Darren McCluskey, went off in the 41st minute. He had been staggering around in a daze after taking a knock from his own goalkeeper Russell Bowles and collapsed to be stretchered off with concussion.
Davies said: “This was exactly the result we needed. Nine goals can come in very useful if our bid for promotion should come down to goal difference.
“It was very important that we did not let them sneak a goal. But in the end we finished well and I was proud of the lads.
Cinderford came to intimidate us from the word go and it was important that we kept our cool. We did this and this win should boost our confidence for the run-in.”
On a rain-soaked pitch that could have been a leveller, it soon became evident that Weymouth had matchwinners in the speedy breaking abilities of Gammon and Hale, who supplied great balanced attacking play on either flank, both producing penetrating crosses, passes and shooting power.
Laws‘ opportunism and confidence continually had the Cinderford rearguard in trouble and there was no catching Hutchinson and Neil Housley, who both worked their socks off, while John Waldock and Lee Bradford commanded the middleground.
It was attack, attack all the way, with another newcomer Paul Adcock, a second-half substitute, looking extremely promising.
With more play like this over the run-in, the Terras must be favourites to clinch promotion, and they are no doubt determined to resume where they left off at Tonbridge tomorrow.
Gammon was first to score in the 21st minute with a well-controlled low shot as panic reigned in the Cinderford box.
In the 31st minute Hutchinson made a superb break down the left, crossed perfectly and Laws swept the ball into the net.
Laws crossed in the 43rd minute and Gammon applied another competent finish.
It was now virtually all over, but the Terras did not relax, Hutchinson making another super surge to draw Bowles and slot home in the 46th minute.
Laws turned the ball back in the 50th minute and the lethal Gammon made no mistake.
Adcock released Laws to make a run from the half-way line in the 58th minute, when he rounded Bowles to slip home a sixth goal.
As neat a header as could be expected by the eager Powell, via a Hutchinson corner, brought a seventh in the 64th minute and when so demoralised and tamed Cinderford failed to clear a corner in the 80th minute, Laws made it 8-0.
The player everybody was willing to score – Haie — finaly made it two minutes later cutting through brilliantly and laying his shot Wide of Bowles to justify his man-of-the-match award.
It was such a pity from Weymouth’s point of view that Bowles bravely snatched the bail from Hale’s feet late in the game to prevent the Terras from reaching the double figure score their fans so badly wanted on a day that will burn brightly in the club’s record book.
Weymouth: Myers, Gammon, Hale, Powell, Waldock, Bradford (Browne 84th minute), Robinson, Hutchinson, Boulton, Laws, Housley (Adock 45th minute).
Unused sub: Ward
