Five-Star Weymouth coast to victory

WEYMOUTH 5

Brooks 3′, Thomson 22′, Own Goal 43′, Whelan 54′, Hoey 84′.

MAIDSTONE UNITED 1

Corne 75′.

Report by: Sam Holmes

A ruthless Weymouth recorded their biggest league win of the season as they hammered Maidstone United 5-1 at the Bob Lucas Stadium in the Vanarama National League South to move up to third in the league on Saturday.

First-half goals from Calvin Brooks and Ben Thomson, as well as a bizarre Ryan Johnson own-goal left the Terras 3-0 up going into the break.

Tom Whelan scored a penalty and a first competitive goal for Jack Hoey in the second half capped off a devastating performance by the hosts.

The Terras managed to miss penalties in both halves in what could have been an even more convincing win.

Weymouth manager Mark Molesley made two changes from last weekends 0-0 draw at home to Billericay Town with Jaidon Anthony making his first start after joining the Terras on loan from AFC Bournemouth.

Anthony came in for Brett Williams and Josh Wakefield replaced Stephane Zubar which meant Jake McCarthy filled in at centre-back.

The Terras made a fantastic start to the game as Brooks opened the scoring after three minutes.

Abdulai Baggie found the defender on the right who cut inside before beating the Stones’ goalkeeper Chris Lewington at his near post to make it 1-0.

Thomson doubled Weymouth’s lead 22 minutes in when Josh McQuoid picked up the ball on the left, played it to Anthony, received it back and found Thomson whose precise shot buried into the bottom right corner.

Just one minute later the Terras received a penalty after Anthony’s shot from long distance was parried by Lewington into the path of Baggie who was fouled by Ryan Johnson before he could shoot.

Baggie stepped up to take the penalty but his weak effort from the spot was at a comfortable height for Lewington to save.

Weymouth added a third just before half time in peculiar fashion.

Thomson picked up the ball in the middle of the pitch and countered Maidstone running into the box.

The striker tried to find Anthony but his pass deflected to the Stones’ Ross Marshall who panicked and his attempted clearance hit his teammate Johnson and dropped into the goal which gave the Terras a 3-0 advantage going into the break.

Maidstone started a lot stronger in the second half and came close 52 minutes in when Iffy Allen’s cross was stopped by Ollie Harfield but fell to Justin Amaluzor whose strike was excellently blocked by Shaun Hobson.

Weymouth received their second penalty of the afternoon after Thomson was brought down by Johnson in the 54th minute.

This time Whelan volunteered to take the spot kick and smashed the ball into the top right corner to make it 4-0.

A third penalty was awarded to the Terras in the 69th minute, this time Brooks was fouled by Allen but Whelan couldn’t convert his second penalty of the game as Lewington made another penalty save.

The Stones did pull a goal back after 75 minutes through Sam Corne who headed in the rebound from his initial effort that Callum Ward had impressively saved.

Weymouth responded exceptionally nine minutes later with substitute Hoey firing in his first professional goal for the Terras.

Brett Williams worked well down the right coming into the box before the ball ricocheted to Hoey who easily found the net.

A brilliant win for Mark Molesley’s men who now move up to third place with other results going their way.

Terras: Ward, Harfield, Wakefield (Robinson 60), Whelan, McCarthy, Thomson (Williams 74), McQuoid, Baggie (Hoey 70), Anthony, Brooks, Hobson.

Subs not used: Childs, Olumyiwa.

Maidstone United: Lewington, Knight (Temelci 60), Marshall, Johnson, Hoyte, Corne, Khan, Wishart, Allen (Tingley 71), Watters, Amaluzor.

Subs not used: Cole, Williams, Gilbert.

Attendance: 956.