SOLIHULL MOORS 3
Sbarra 38, 70, Dallas 90+1
WEYMOUTH 4
Leslie-Smith 8, Ash 21, 45+1, McQuoid 47
WEYMOUTH survived a late Solihull Moors onslaught to record a well-earned 4-3 win in a dramatic seven-goal Vanarama National League thriller.
Josh Leslie-Smith scored his first Weymouth goal and Brad Ash scored a double in the first half, while Moors replied with Joe Sbarra.
Josh McQuoid made it a richly-deserved 4-1 lead but Sbarra completed a brace and had a late penalty saved, which was tapped home by ex-Terra Andy Dallas.It set up a maniacal finish but Weymouth did not cave under the weight of pressure to record back-to-back wins.
Weymouth boss Brian Stock named a completely unchanged squad from the one that beat Maidenhead United 3-1 on Bank Holiday Monday.
There was also a reunion with ex-Weymouth loanee striker Dallas, who scored 12 goals in 25 games to help push them clear of the relegation zone on merit last season.
Following on from their 3-1 win over Maidenhead, Weymouth made an impressive start as they dominated proceedings.
Their only scare in the half’s infancy was a wayward Kyle Hudlin shot but the Terras took the lead through an unlikely source in the eighth minute.
Quick thinking from a throw caught Solihull fast asleep and McQuoid picked out Leslie-Smith who rifled home a composed, sweet finish into the far corner.
Weymouth nearly had a second two minutes later when Sean Shields pulled a shot across goal and wide.
The Terras had Solihull rattled but a warning of their quality up front came when a slick move involving one and two-touch passing worked a chance for ex-Weymouth loanee Andy Dallas to blast over.
Midway through the half, Weymouth’s dreamy start yielded a second goal as Ash notched his first competitive goal for the club.
In truth, Solihull will be disappointed the ball was allowed to find Ash, with Tyrone Williams unable to cut out a cross for Ash to bury it from close range.
Weymouth nearly went 3-0 up when Omar Mussa won a free-kick and from Shields’ delivery Tyler Cordner was poised to head home but for a superb flicked header away.
Solihull survived a succession of corners and steadily began to creep back into the game, with Williams warming the gloves of Ross Fitzsimons.
With the signs of a Solihull recovery there, the Terras did not take note as Sbarra strolled through one-on-one to beat Fitzsimons.
Solihull almost connected for 2-2 seconds later as Williams poked wide but a nervy moment for Moors’ keeper Marcus Dewhurst saw Ash nip in, only for his effort to be blocked by the retreating custodian.
But Moors had halved the deficit for just eight minutes when Weymouth regained their two-goal advantage, Ash darting inside and bending a stunning finish into the top corner for 3-1 at half-time.
Weymouth reapplied the pressure after the break and, after Mussa was booked for a foul, he was involved in the Terras’ fourth goal.
Mussa tidied up in midfield and played in McQuoid who, isolated with the struggling Preston, slammed home into the far corner.
Weymouth were ecstatic but the goal prompted retaliation from the hosts, Taofiq Olomowewe having to be alert to block Hudlin.
Harry Boyes headed against the side netting from a corner before Callum Maycock’s ball in caused chaos in the Weymouth box before the visitors cleared.
Weymouth were forced to sub the injured Mussa for Tom Bearwish, while McQuoid also came off for Ahkeem Rose.
But with Solihull making two changes of their own, it was one of their alterations who made the greater impact.
Justin Donawa, on just two minutes previous, crossed for Sbarra to tap home his second following a lovely team move.
Weymouth cleared a Dallas cross while Leslie-Smith was booked for time wasting, one of six Weymouth bookings on the day.
However, a madcap finish to the game came when Shields was booked for tripping sub Jordan Cranston in the box, conceding a penalty.
Sbarra stepped up to seal his hat-trick, only for Fitzsimons to tip his spot-kick onto the bar, Dallas stalking behind to tap home in the 91st minute.
With nerves fraying, Fitzsimons was then called upon to make a sublime save from sub Danny Newton, while Weymouth shakily dealt with a flurry of late corners amid intense pressure.
In the end, Weymouth saw out the six minutes of injury-time to take a win that was threatened far more than it should have been.
Solihull: Dewhurst, Williams (Donawa 68), Storer, Howe, Sbarra, Maycock, Barnett, Boyes (Cranston 77), Dallas, Preston, Hudlin (Newton 63). Subs not used: Gudger, Maynard.
Terras: Fitzsimons, Morgan, Cordner, Mussa (Bearwish 58), McQuoid (Rose 65), Ash, Leslie-Smith, Murray, Harfield, Olomowewe (Robinson 76), Shields. Subs not used: Goodship, Brooks.
Referee: Aaron Jackson
