Two goals in the space of 5 minutes, between a Brandon Goodship equaliser, saw Torquay see off the Terras at the Bob Lucas Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Torquay were plying the pressure straight from the off, winning 2 corners in the opening 4 minutes and came close to opening the lead after 7 minutes. Armani Little was given the ball on the near side of the area and whipped in a dangerous cross to the back post. Midfielder Tom Lapslie rose to meet the ball with an open header, but directed the attempt across the face of goal and wide for a goal kick.
Martell Taylor-Crossdale was looking a threat for the Terras from the early stages of the game. Cameron Murray played a long ball to the forward who was through open goal in the 8th minute. Taylor-Crossdale held the ball up well and fired a shot at the onrushing Shaun MacDonald but the chance wouldn’t have counted had it gone in, as the officials flag was raised for offside.
Taylor-Crossdale received the ball again, this time to his feet on the left wing. The striker cut inside before curling an attempt at goal with his right. MacDonald got down well to his left to parry the shot away for a Terras corner.
However, due to a mix-up from corner taker, Omar Mussa, Torquay were given the opportunity to provide an immediate counter attack. United worked the ball up to Little, who unleashed a shot from the outskirts of the area. The shot was palmed away by Ross Fitzsimons, but only as far as Ben Wynter, as the wing back volleyed the ball, across the face of goal, inches wide of Fitzsimon’s right post.
Weymouth were through again in the 26th minute. This time new signing Leon Davies kept the attack alive, poking the ball through to Omar Mussa. The midfielder lobbed the ball through to Taylor-Crossdale who had found himself with a sight on goal again in this half. The striker took on the shot, however Wynter came across to rescue his side and clear away the danger.
Another chance went begging in the 33rd minute as the Terras were awarded a corner. Mussa delivered the set piece toward the bustling penalty area, which was directed just over the bar from Ben Morgan.
The game was end to end, yet both sides were failing to find an opener. Klaidi Lolos picked up the ball in Weymouth’s final third, however his low driven shot from the centre of goal was wide.
Still pushing, Weymouth were working the ball around with pace on the left side. Ollie Harfield picked out a pass to Mussa, who weaved to the left before crossing the ball into the area. The windy conditions took the ball, which had to be tipped over the bar by MacDonald, sparing the keeper blushes.
Harfield whipped in the corner, but the chance was again, headed narrowly over the bar by Morgan.
Torquay had the last effort of the half. Armani Little had been given time to run deeper into Weymouth’s half and let fire a low, driven shot that span dangerously along the ground before being graciously collected into the gloves of Fitzsimons, who saw the changing direction of the ball with enough time to react.
The visitors had started the second half the way they finished the first. Little had taken a corner, drilled into the front post and flicked on to Captain Asa Hall who struck the shot first time. The ball was sailing into the back of the net, before Taofiq Olomowewe headed the ball off the line over the bar for another corner, which was subsequently collected by Fitzsimons.
Torquay eventually broke the deadlock in the 65th minute. Lolos was through on goal from the left and travelled into the area. The striker took a shot on across goal but Fitzsimons cleared the ball away with a fantastic save from his trailing left leg.
Little delivered the ball in from the corner which was flicked on by Joe Lewis from the goal line and beyond Fitzsimons.
With this, the game sparked into life and it took Weymouth just 3 minutes to find an equaliser. A free kick, whipped in from debutant Davies from the right was headed in by Brandon Goodship from 6 yards out.
Just 2 minutes later, Torquay regained the lead in fortuitous circumstance. A low cross from the right picked out Lolos in the area. Lolos used his quick feet to evade the challenge of Morgan but his shot hit against Tyler Cordner. The defender went to control the ball but instead gave it to Sinclair Armstrong. The substitute had the time to look up and fire the ball into the open net.
Torquay were through again in the 75th minute, with Armstrong shrugging off Olomowewe in the search of a brace. This time, Fitzsimons was there to deny the substitute, with the goalkeeper saving the shot with his leg after cutting down Armstrong;s angle.
Three minutes later, Torquay struck the cross bar. A ball in from the far side was floated invitingly up in the air for Lolos whose header was palmed onto the upright by Fitzsimons and away for a corner.
Weymouth had been trying for an equaliser in the closing stages but came short, winning only corners, dealt with by the opposition.
Torquay were close to a third deep into added time. Little had an effort in the penalty area, punched over the bar by Fitzsimons. The following corner eventually came out to Lapslie who took on the shot from just outside the box. This time the ball smacked the outside left of the left post before going wide, and with that the referee blew the full time whistle.
