Weymouth champions after Boro battle

WEYMOUTH 3

Odubade 60 Goodship 63 Thomson 71

FARNBOROUGH 0

WEYMOUTH ended a nine-year spell away from the National League South as a brilliant second half saw them beat Farnborough 3-0 and claim the Evo-Stik Southern Premier South title.

After a nervous first half which saw the two teams deadlocked, the Terras came out firing with the wind in their favour, and goals from Yemi Odubade, Brandon Goodship and Ben Thomson saw the title head to Dorset.

Taunton had looked the favourites at the break, beating Basingstoke Town 2-0 and were leaders as it stood but the half-time team talk saw Weymouth emerge an entirely different and very clinical team that are now champions.

Yemi Odubade and Josh Wakefield came in for Ashley Wells and Cameron Murray in the only two changes for the Terras.

The crowd listened to pleas from the Terras to be early, with the stands packed 20 minutes prior to kick-off with a huge attendance of 2,676.

In truth it was a quiet match, with the wind causing a huge disservice to the contest and the drama that came as a result of the match was not reflecting of the drama in it.

It was a tough first half for the Terras, with countless chances being ruined due to the strong wind.

Tony Halsey for the visitors was causing numerous problems with his long throws but clear chances were hard to come by.

A scramble in the box saw Halsey have two chances blocked away from the edge of the box after 15 minutes.

For long spells, Weymouth were penned in yet Farnborough struggled to do much with the possession and the favourable wind that was blowing towards the corner flag of Weymouth’s half in the first period.

Thomson whipped a shot over the bar after 22 minutes but there was only one really great opportunity for the Terras in the first half.

The big moment for the Terras came after 44 minutes, when a great counter from Thomson and Abdulai Baggie crossed over to Odubade, who would have been in plenty of space to be through on goal, yet the ball ran under his foot and away to safety.

After the break however, the Terras would be a different force entirely.

From the off they attacked with fervour and sharpness that had looked so hard to come by for the past two weeks prior to the game.

Jake McCarthy fired in what seemed a speculative shot from 30 yards out but it swerved dangerously and forced a good save from Farnborough goalkeeper Liam Beach.

With Taunton 2-0 up at this stage it looked curtains for Weymouth’s title hopes unless they could find a goal.

In the event they soon found three, in an almost bizarrely quick change of atmosphere.

Odubade was unable to scramble in an effort from inside the box, but he soon found the back of the net.

A mistake from Farnborough saw Odubade through with just Beach to beat and he did so with aplomb, to huge roars from a now fully-believing Bob Lucas faithful.

Three minutes later, Goodship doubled the lead to audible relief around the stadium as crucial breathing space was obtained.

A brilliant corner then added a third seven minutes later.

A ball was swung in, McCarthy nodded a low effort to set up a shot, which was duly hooked in by Thomson to delight around the Bob Lucas Stadium.

Weymouth could have had more in truth, but the relief flooded around the stadium as title fears were thoroughly swatted aside.

McCarthy brought a similar save from Beach, who again was called into action to fend off a shot from 30 yards out.

The match had fizzled out by this point though, with the wind blocking Farnborough’s path.

Within moments of full-time the pitch was flooded with fans jubilant at the sight of the Terras being promoted.

Weymouth will now compete in the National League South next season.

Terras: McHale, Brooks, Ngalo, Sherring, Zubar, McCarthy, Odubade (McQuoid 75), Wakefield (Carmichael 78), Thomson, Goodship (Baker 84), Baggie

Subs not used: Murray, Martin,

Farnborough: Beach, Fearn (Charles-Smith 68), Owens, Leggett, Oakley, Cumberbatch, Oyenuga, Cooksley, Halsey (Coles 68), Cullen (Elias-Fernandes 46), Young.

Subs not used: Tanner, Mitchell.

Attendance: 2676

Referee: Phillip Eddie (Plymouth)