CHESTERFIELD 1
Whelan 38
WEYMOUTH 0
Report: Alife Lumb
The Terras were back on the road on Saturday afternoon but fell to a 1-0 defeat at Chesterfield.
Ethan Ross was called into action just 6 minutes in to make a crucial save. Asante collected the ball and drilled a shot with his right boot on target. Ross got down to his right quickly to tip the ball against the post to deny the striker.
Spireite players called for a penalty when Tom Whelan went down in the area. The referee waved play on and Weymouth cleared the ball away.
The Spireites were looking dangerous down the right side in the 16th minute. Fraser Kerr and teammate George Carline linked up well with a one-two pass before Kerr played in Whelan. The forward dragged the effort, however still challenged Ross as the keeper got down to his right again to ease the pressure.
Chesterfield were dominating the play and putting Terras defenders on high alert with numbers in the box from the home side for long throw ins and crosses.
Weymouth were awarded the first corner of the game as Shields whipped in a cross from the left, but the corner was collected easily by Smith and again Chesterfield got to build a counter-attack.
The Terras began to find their feet in the 24th minute. Shields snapped a forward pass to Andy Dallas on the byline. Dallas fired a shot across the box which came out to Jake McCarthy. The Midfielder shot from range but the chance was blocked.
Asante had another chance in the 34rd minute. He took the ball on before firing a shot with his right. The ball looked to go wide but took a deflection off of Jacob Mensah, changing the angle to call Ross into play again. The Terras keeper reacted from the deflection to dive in late to parry away the shot.
The Spireites took the lead in the 38th minute. A Chesterfield corner into a busy area was not cleared well enough and Whelan ran onto the ball in the area to volley in the chance. The Ex-Terras player refused to celebrate in front of his old teammates, despite the finish.
Weymouth thought they drew level in the 55th minute. They were given a free-kick from a dangerous position, their first chance after half time. Jake McCarthy stepped up to take the set-piece which was deflected for a corner. Harfield’s resulting corner was headed on by Pierre Fonkeu but hit the bar before bouncing on the goal line which was then cleared away. Despite appeals to the referee from Terras players play continued.
Chesterfield again used the right channel as a focus for their attacks. Asante played into Smith who played in a cross into a deadly area. Harfield managed to reach the ball before a Spireites player was waiting to pounce at the back post.
The home side were pushing hard onto Weymouth. Smith’s delivery from the right side found Whittle at the back post. The striker misfired a shot with his left foot on the volley and Weymouth managed to clear away the danger.
The Terras had the next chance in the 65th minute from a set-piece. Harfield played it to McCarthy who then passed it to Dallas who drilled the ball into the feet of Thomson, yards from goal. Thomson could not get a controlled effort on target and the chance was wide.
Chesterfield almost doubled their lead in the 83rd minute. Whittle passed the ball to Liam Mandeville. The substitute ran inside the area, shrugging off the challenges of Terras defenders, before trying to curve the shot past Ethan Ross. The ball went wide of Ross’ left post.
Weymouth were awarded a free kick in the 87th minute but Harfield’s deep in-swinging ball was headed wide by Brennan Camp at the back post.
Then, in the 90th minute Shields played a long pass which was met by Dallas. The striker went into the box but his shot was blocked.
Even after 4 minutes of added time, the Terras couldn’t break through, losing 1-0.
Chesterfield: G Smith, Carline, Kerr, Hollis, Maguire (Yarney 25), Whittle, M Smith, Weston, Whelan (Mandeville 71), Tyson (Dinanga 59), Asante. Subs not used: Rowley, Yussuf.
Terras: Ross, Camp, Ngalo, McCarthy, McQuoid (Fonkeu 46), Brooks, Dallas, Mensah (Thomson 46), Revan, Harfield, Shields. Subs not used: Benfield, Wakefield, Murray.
