Terrific Weymouth hit four past Chelmsford

WEYMOUTH 4

McQuoid 41 pen, 52 pen, 55, Thomson 80

CHELMSFORD CITY 1

Jeffers 13 pen

WEYMOUTH came from behind to earn their first Vanarama National League South home win of the season with a superb 4-1 result against Chelmsford City at the Bob Lucas Stadium.

Shaun Jeffers put City ahead with a soft penalty but Weymouth levelled when captain Josh McQuoid struck from the spot after Yemi Odubade was tripped.

An electric start to the second half from Weymouth killed the game, McQuoid scoring his second penalty after a foul on Odubade and then notching his treble with an assured finish.

Ben Thomson then nudged home Jordan Ngalo’s cross to add gloss to an impressive victory.

There was even good news prior to kick-off as the Terras announced centre-back Sam Sherring had made his return from Bournemouth on a long-term loan deal.

Sherring was immediately drafted into the starting XI, joining Jordan Rose in a newly-formed centre-back partnership.

Odubade was the Terras’ other change from the side that began Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Bath City – Abdulai Baggie (work) and Stephane Zubar (rested) missing out from the squad completely while Callum Buckley was benched.

Chelmsford, who had beaten Weymouth 2-1 in the FA Cup third qualifying round in 2017, made a strong start at a windswept Bob Lucas Stadium.

The Clarets, who have been defeated in the National League South play-offs for the past three years, forced an early point-blank save from Terras’ keeper Calum Ward, who bravely blocked Anthony Church’s effort after Jamar Loza chased a wind-affected cross.

Weymouth struggled initially to deal with City, who saw Jeffers nod a corner wide at the near post on five minutes.

Andy Robinson responded for the hosts with a free-kick from the right which clipped the side netting after Calvin Brooks had been felled.

Brooks was involved again in the run-up to City’s goal, giving away a free-kick from which Michael Spillane was adjudged to have been tripped in the box by an incensed Rose.

The decision appeared a soft one, with few City players appealing and Rose’s protestations to referee Andrew Humphries lasting for around a minute.

City striker Jeffers kept composed after the delay to send Ward the wrong way, firing his finish to the keeper’s left.

Just two minutes later, Weymouth were denied a penalty when Yemi Odubade’s cross clearly struck the hand of Frazer Shaw at close quarters inside the area, Humphries ignoring strong calls from the home faithful.

Weymouth were now assembling a strong grip on the game and City defended stoutly to rebuff three corners in quick succession.

Seconds after Loza pushed the ball away with his hand in expectation of a free-kick, the winger was booked for clattering into Brooks and Ollie Harfield’s delivery was deflected low into the dive of gloveman Carl Pentney.

Odubade was then sent free but got his feet in a tangle before seeing his shot blocked. However, the former Maidstone man would be instrumental in Weymouth’s equaliser two minutes later.

Playing on the right wing, Odubade got past Shaw and was brought down inside the area, Humphries pointing to the spot.

McQuoid then fooled Pentney, calmly rolling the ball into the vacant bottom-left corner to rapturous applause.

Chelmsford had offered little since their goal but came close to a blockbuster strike from Jordan Gibbons, who fizzed a 30-yard effort inches wide of Ward’s far post before half-time.

It was a mark of Weymouth’s growth into the game, and the National League South, when the Terras killed the game in a high-octane start to the second half.

Moments after Ngalo had curled wide of the far post, Weymouth had their second penalty when Ollie Muldoon’s clumsy challenge upended Odubade in the box.

McQuoid opted for the same side of the goal, firing high past Pentney into the top-left corner on 52 minutes.

Three minutes later, the former Bournemouth man scored a clinical hat-trick when a defensive mix-up allowed him to run in on goal and slot past the advancing Pentney just inside the left-hand post.

Weymouth were now ticking and a clever knock down from Thomson saw Odubade volley powerfully at Pentney who acrobatically tipped the forward’s effort over.

A brief fright for the hosts came with 25 minutes remaining as Loza proved too strong for Sherring in a shoulder-to-shoulder collision, bearing down on goal before squaring for sub Alex Osborn but a poor touch hindered the midfielder and Rose got back to block with his knee.

And a moment of brilliance from Ngalo settled matters, the midfielder spinning away from his man inches from the touchline at halfway, raiding down the right and supplying Thomson who poked home his third goal of the season, the ball trickling across the line in the face of the wind.

Weymouth, who sit fifth, visit Slough Town on Tuesday (7.45pm).

Terras: Ward, Harfield, Sherring, Ngalo (Buckley 83), McCarthy, Thomson, McQuoid (Wakefield 83), Odubade (Murray 70), Robinson, Brooks, Rose. Subs not used: Childs, Hoey

Chelmsford: Pentney, Gibbons (Osborn 62), Shaw, Church, Spillane, Edobor (Omozusi 53), Muldoon, Isaac, Wraight, Jeffers, Loza (Giles 73). Subs not used: Fenwell, Higgins.

Referee: Andrew Humphries (Northampton)

Attendance: 951