WEYMOUTH 2
Dallas 22, 77
ALTRINCHAM 1
Colclough 50
Report: Alfie Lumb
Andy Dallas shone as Weymouth beat Altrincham 2-1 on Saturday afternoon at the Bob Lucas Stadium.
The away side offered an early threat to the Terras from a corner. Dan Mooney whipped the set piece into the area with his left boot. The ball curved towards the goal line and Terras keeper Ethan Ross was forced to palm the ball up onto the bar before it came back into the crowded area. Weymouth were struggling to clear the ball away, with the side from Manchester forcing a corner.
Minutes later Weymouth were through on goal. Captain Josh McQuoid chipped a ball through to the striker who was making a charging run into the penalty area. Andy Dallas received the pass but cleared the cross bar with his rushed, dinked effort.
The Terras came close to scoring in the 17th minute had it not been for a superb double save from Altrincham keeper Anthony Thompson. A long ball forward from Weymouth was played towards Andy Dallas. The Terras’ striker took the ball beyond 2 defenders but his shot was parried away by the onrushing Anthony Johnson. Dallas rushed to the second ball in an attempt to score from the rebound but Johnson got up to put his body in the way to see the ball out for a corner.
Five minutes later, Weymouth took the lead. Cameron Murray squared the ball to Dallas in the area. This time there was no mistake as the striker opened up his body to drill the ball with his left boot. The low shot went through the crowded area, across the face of goal and beyond the outstretched gloves of Johnson.
Terras players and staff were calling for a penalty when Sean Williams appeared to have clipped the back of McQuoid’s legs as the captain was lined up to take a shot on goal. Referee Alan Dale saw nothing wrong with the challenge waving play on.
Then, Altrincham had the chance to draw level from a free kick. Mooney swung the ball in which had eluded all in the area but was met by Nyal Bell at the back post. The towering striker connected with the ball from yards out but the chance was spurred with the effort over the bar.
Altrincham started the second half with a high tempo and scored the equaliser in the 50th minute. The away side were committing men forward and Josh McQuoid gifted possession to Ryan Colclough. The winger touched the ball before releasing a pile driver into the bottom left corner of the goal.
Just 3 minutes later, Altrincham had a gilt-edged chance to take the lead. The ball was squared to Colclough in the area and the forward, full of confidence following his goal, took the shot on first time. The curling effort looked destined to go in but Ross reached the ball with his right palm to parry the ball away.
With an hour gone, the game was on a knife edge, with the Terras having the next opportunity. A free kick from the left was delivered by Sean Shields. The ball fell into the penalty spot and Brennan Camp was well positioned to strike the ball, yards from the goal mouth. Thompson put himself in the way. The ball looked to come back down on the line, with Calvin Brooks and Camp waiting to tap it in, but the wind took the ball over the bar and onto the back netting.
The away side were next to attempt an effort on goal. Substitute Matty Kosylo carried the ball from the right side to the centre of the pitch before letting a shot fly with his left foot. The ex-Halifax Town forward’s rocket of a shot whistled wide of Ross’ right post.
The game was back and forth but the Terras regained the lead in the 78th minute. A Sean Shields corner on the far side was met by Jake McCarthy. The substitute had space and a free header but struck the crossbar. Worman retained the ball for the Terras and played it back out to Shields who played another ball again. This time Dallas rose above Altrincham defenders to turn the ball beyond Thompson with his head.
The Terras were going for the jugular and had a real swagger in their step, and almost went 2 goals ahead minutes later. Dallas played the ball to Shields on his left. The winger came in to the centre and tried to curl an effort beyond Thompson but the keeper saw the shot all the way and parried it in front of him for a defender to clear.
With 5 minutes left of the game, Altrincham were throwing the kitchen sink at the Terras. Joel Senior played a one-two pass in the area which had opened space for the right back. When he received the ball again, Senior squared the ball across the face of goal and with Ross rushing out to meet Senior this created an open goal chance. The powerful pass was intercepted just before being tapped in by Camp. The Terras centre back put himself in the way and cleared the danger.
The away side had a free kick in the 90th minute. Colclough crossed the ball into the crowded area but substitute Pierre Fonkeu poked the ball out of the area after blocking a shot.
The referee then blew the final whistle, with the Terras winning 2-1.
Terras: Ross, Camp, McQuoid (McCarthy 66), Robinson, Brooks (Dickson 75), Dallas, Mensah, Murray (Fonkeu 75), Harfield, Worman, Shields.
Subs not used: Ngalo, Leslie-Smith.
Altrincham: Thompson, Moult, Mooney (Kosylo 61), Williams (Peers 83), Bell (Hancock 57), Ogle, Senior, Mullarkey, Smith, Colclough, Kirby.
Subs not used: Densmore, Gould.
Referee: Alan Dale
