Weymouth power to victory over Dorchester

DORCHESTER TOWN 1

Blair 40

WEYMOUTH 3

Ngalo 10, McQuoid 65 pen, McCarthy 68

WEYMOUTH got the better of Ridgeway rivals Dorchester Town with an entertaining 3-1 pre-season friendly victory in front of a sell-out capped crowd at the Avenue Stadium.

Under the gaze of 600 fans, including former Southampton and Bolton striker-turned-scout Kevin Davies in the stands, Weymouth took the lead in the tenth minute.

Slick work from the Terras spread play to captain Calvin Brooks on the right, his inside pass dummied by Alefe Santos to Jordan Ngalo.

One cushioned touch took the midfielder past the entire defence and his shot was too strong for keeper Will Buse, who got his midriff and glove to the ball but could not keep the effort out.

Several chances at either end followed, as Dorchester’s Tom Blair curled wide following a cute pass from Charlie Madden before Weymouth’s influential midfielder Tom Whelan curled over.

Dorchester’s Tiago Sa fired at Gerard Benfield from 20 yards less than 60 seconds later, before new signing Rubin Wilson nodded harmlessly at Benfield from Blair’s free-kick.

Patient build-up play from Weymouth created another chance for Whelan, although the midfielder’s shanked finish was not befitting of the delicious play.

After a long scrappy period in the half, with both teams closely matched, Dorchester burst into life through their catalyst Blair, playing his first game after returning from an unsuccessful trial at Yeovil.

Showing great strength to hold off Ngalo, Blair twisted inside and curled low beyond Benfield via a slight deflection to level the scores at half-time.

Weymouth created the first chance of the second half when sub Jake McCarthy skipped forward and drilled a dipping shot at Buse, who did well to palm over and then claim the corner.

Brian Stock’s Weymouth began to dominate after numerous changes for both sides.

Sub Andreas Robinson curled at Buse before Dorchester’s sub trialist made a rash sliding challenge on Terras’ sub Jack Hoey, conceding a penalty.

Josh McQuoid stepped up to power a finish through the grasp of Buse, who nearly kept his shot out of the bottom-left corner.

Weymouth had a third in the 68th minute as McCarthy ran onto a peachy pass over the top to flick a delightful finish past Buse for 3-1.

Dorchester earned an indirect free-kick seconds later when sub Stephane Zubar’s pass was picked up by Benfield, but the Magpies wasted the chance as Blair eventually scuffed wide.

Young Harrison Bruton replaced Benfield to make his Weymouth debut in goal, before his opposite number Buse made an exquisite save after Ben Thomson’s turn and shot.

Ngalo fired wide from an acute angle late on as Weymouth finished the stronger of the sides, meriting their victory.

Magpies: Buse, Hanger (Hodges 56), Sa, Madden (Trialist 46), Poole, Dunstan, Clarke, Lowes (Griggs 81), Bath (Trialist 72), Wilson (Ngoy 56), Blair (Torniainen 84).

Terras: Benfield (Bruton 80), Brooks, Harfield (McQuoid 58), Ngalo (Burns 86), Olumuyiwa (Camp 46), Whelan (McCarthy 46), Santos (Hoey 58), Murray (Robinson 58), Thomson, Leslie-Smith, Trialist (Zubar 58).

Attendance: 600

Referee: Martyn Underhay