FURIOUS Weymouth boss Brian Stock conceded he had not experienced a more painful result in football as the Terras threw away a 2-0 lead, losing 3-2 to Wrexham.
In an immensely entertaining contest for the neutral, birthday boy Josh McQuoid and Jake McCarthy nodded red-hot Weymouth into a 2-0 lead.
But contrary to their half-time team-talk, Weymouth then sat back in the second half and invited Wrexham pressure as Theo Vassell’s rapid brace frayed home nerves.
Shamir Mullings saw red for an off-the-ball incident and six minutes later Weymouth were denied what looked a clear penalty when a Wrexham defender appeared to handle Calvin Brooks’ cross.
Seconds later, Reece Hall-Johnson’s looping cross soared into the far corner over a stranded Jack Bycroft to devastate the hosts, with Stock also sent off post-match for berating the officials.
Speaking to Echosport, Stock said his side were their “own downfall” as they slid to a fifth straight Vanarama National League defeat.
He said: “A very, very hard one to take. I don’t think I’ve experienced anything like this in football, ever.
“I’ve been in the game for quite a long time and the manner in which we conceded the goals – we just can’t do it.
“We’ve got to clear our lines, we need to show a little more composure on the ball.
“We came out of the blocks firing in the first 45 minutes. We say all the right things at half-time and we come out second half and we’re almost a completely different side.
“We’ve not been carved open by a good footballing side. We’re our own downfall.”
Weymouth dropped deep in the second half, seemingly protecting their lead.
When asked if that had been his decision, Stock said: “Absolutely not – the direction was exactly the same.
“As manager I question one or two fitness levels with players and it’s up to me to identify that.
“When we look at the energy we had in the first half, it wasn’t there in the second.
“If we’re allowing centre-halves to step in and play diagonal balls into our box, we’re asking for trouble.
“That was the message we were telling the players – keep pressing, it’s just the energy levels weren’t there.”
