Super Six for Terras

Weymouth Women 6

Wilson 8’ Beasley 24’ 37’ So.Webber-Green 49’ B.Barnard-Irons 64’ Johnson 90+1’

Shaftesbury Ladies 0

Weymouth Women got their new Dorset Women’s league campaign off to a flying start with a comfortable victory over Shaftesbury on the opening day of the season.

New signing’s Kayleigh Whiting, Sophie Webber-Green, and Jasmine Wareham all made their competitive debuts on a baking hot afternoon. Weymouth were made to work hard in the hot conditions on a tricky pitch by a hard-working and well-drilled Shaftesbury side.

The Terras almost made the perfect start. Less than 2 minutes had been played when captain Charlie Wilson played a brilliant ball through the defence which player-manager Tasha Sibley ran onto, but her shot was well held by goalkeeper Emma Stranger.

Shortly afterwards Stranger was on hand to tip Shakira Howard’s shot onto the post. The ball stayed in play though and Beasley whipped a cross into Howard who headed narrowly wide of the far post.

Howard went even closer 2 minutes later – curling a free kick onto the crossbar from the edge of the box, as Weymouth dominated the early exchanges.

The breakthrough arrived on 8 minutes through Charlie Wilson. She created some room on the edge of the box and fired a powerful shot into the bottom corner for 1-0.

Jasmine Wareham then had a shot deflected off a defender into the grateful arms of Stranger a minute later.

On 17 minutes Beasley’s deep cross was controlled by Wilson who had her effort blocked behind for a corner. Howard whipped a devilish delivery into the near post which Sibley got a foot to and the ball cannoned off the post and behind for a goal kick.

Just a few minutes later the same 3 linked up again. This team Beasley laid it off for Sibley who miss-cued her shot. It rolled across the face of goal in the direction of Howard who threw herself at the ball but could only poke it narrowly wide of the mark with her out-stretched foot.

More good link-up play in the midfield between Sibley and Wilson lead to Beasley having a shot straight at the goalkeeper shortly after.

Shaftesbury were then able to mount their first attack of the contest. They worked it really well down the left wing and managed to get a cross into the box, but the striker could only fire wide under pressure from a defender.

They would rue that missed chance shortly afterwards, as on 24 minutes Lily Beasley got off the mark for the season. She got on the end of a great cross-field pass from Sibley and lashed it into the top right corner from the edge of the box to double the lead.

Shakira Howard continued to be left frustrated – seeing one effort smothered by Stranger, before seeing another effort tipped wide just after half an hour, as Weymouth continued to pile on the pressure.

Two goals in as many minutes before half time effectively finished the game as a contest.

First Beasley got her second of the game. Howard fired across the face of goal but Sophie Webber-Green showed great energy to keep the ball in play on the byline. She pulled it back for Beasley who ran in from the edge of the box and hammered it home first time for 3-0.

Webber-Green then scored her first for the club a minute later – showing great speed to race onto a ball through the middle of the defence, and then composure to slot it past the on-rushing goalkeeper to have Weymouth 4-0 up at half time.

With energy levels running low in the stifling heat, the second half would prove to be a little bit scrappier, with Shaftesbury keeping everyone behind the ball and making it had for Weymouth to break them down.

Howard headed a Beasley cross wide on 52 minutes before Emma Potter let fly from range 3 minutes latter and stung the palms of the goalkeeper.

Shaftesbury would see a shot from range fly just over the bar before a fifth goal arrived on 64 minutes, and it was a first competitive goal for the club for Beth Barnard-Irons. She received a short corner on the corner of the box and curled a wonderful strike past several bodies and beyond the reach of the goalkeeper.

A minute later Sibley hit the woodwork again. She surged through the middle of the park and past 3 defenders before letting fly from a tight angle. Her shot bounced off the crossbar and away to safety.

More good play down the wing from Beasley on 75 minutes lead to her pulling the ball back for Wilson who fired over from the edge of the box, before Beth Barnard-Irons also fired wide.

Becca De Haviland attempted an audacious effort from some 25 yards when a corner was only half-cleared, and her strike was held at the second attempt by Emma Stranger.

As the game ticked into injury time, there was still time for a sixth goal, and what a superb individual goal it was too from Naomi Johnson. She surged her way through a couple of challenges into the six yard box before rolling it into the far corner to sign off a perfect opening day win for Weymouth.

Credit to Shaftesbury, they certainly didn’t make life easy for Weymouth. They were well-drilled and put their bodies on the line. They could have caught Weymouth on the break on a couple of occasions, but the Terras dominated the midfield, and back-line mopped up on the few occasions they needed to.

Next up for the Terras is a big early season test away to Poole Town Reserves next Sunday, and the Dolphins will arrive full of confidence following a huge 13-0 opening day win at Gillingham. But the

Terras will take a lot of confidence from their own performance, and on another day they might have easily racked up double figures themselves.

Terras: Osment, Whiting, Potter, de Havilland, B.Barnard-Irons, Sibley, Wilson, Wareham, Johnson, Howard, Beasley.

Subs on: So.Webber-Green, Wootton, Taylor.