By Alfie Lumb
Weymouth suffered a 1-0 defeat to Chippenham Town at the Bob Lucas Stadium on Tuesday night.
Bobby Wilkinson named a side unchanged from Saturday’s 3-1 win over 3rd placed Dartford.
Weymouth looked to continue where they left off in the last fixture by attacking from kickoff, with McBurnie picking out Blair on the near side with a long ball. The Terras winger didn’t hesitate to shift the ball into the box with a cross, but Will Henry read the danger early on to claim the ball.
The Terras were awarded a set-piece in a dangerous position 2 minutes in after a dogged run from Bradley Ash, who shook off a number of challenges on the left side before being brought down. Blair whipped in the set piece towards the back post which was met by Ahkeem Rose with a free header, but the ball turned just behind the goal.
Bradley Ash was looking unplayable in the early stages of the game and nearly opened the games proceedings following a long throw in in the 10th minute. The striker turned with the ball, steaming up the line before chopping inside onto his right foot and getting a shot away in the area. The ball was deflected off Will Richards up into the air before the Bluebirds defender cleared the ball.
The game had petered down as Chippenham overloaded Weymouth’s left flank, stopping the Terras from breaking through Blair until an opportunity arose from a set piece in the 33rd minute. Blair’s curling free kick was headed away, but Blair won the ball back from the break away players. The tenacious forward took on a venomous strike from far out, but even with the ball bouncing late, Henry was able to make the save.
Chippenham countered well, launching the ball upfield for Craig Fasanmade. The Bluebirds number 10 sent in an early cross, which, taken by the wind looked to catch Zaki Oualah out. The Terras keeper back peddled speedily to punch the ball up and over the bar.
The away side put in the resulting corner which was punched again by Oualah but into a crowded area, and eventually cleared by a Weymouth defender.
With one minute of added time, the visitors had a half chance to edge their way ahead. Joe Hanks swung a curling cross into the area, met by Matt McClure, but the header drifted way wide of the goal.
The Terras were looking to get on the front foot early in the second half through Tom Blair as the winger shrugged off multiple challenges to find his way into the area. Blair drove across the face of goal, but lost his chance to shoot, with his effort being deflected and cleared away.
A minute later, Ahkeem Rose was threaded through with a sight on goal. Henry came off his line with speed to close down the option for the striker, parrying the shot behind for a corner.
Nathan Carlyle pinged a long ball up to Ash in the 53rd minute. Terras’ number 11 touched the ball down before trying to cut the play onto his stronger foot but to no avail, with a Chippenham player providing cover, clearing the ball away.
Chippenham took the lead in the 57th minute against the run of play. Alefe Santos drove a low ball into the box which was chested down by McClure but cleared only as far as Luke Russe.
Russe took a touch to set his sights on goal before firing a rocket of an unstoppable shot from over 30 yards out with his right boot, which smashed into Oualah’s top right corner.
Ash came close to equalising in the 65th minute from the right side, chopping onto his right foot before attempting to poke the ball past Henry at his near post, but the keeper again denies the Terras.
Three minutes later, Weymouth had a gilt-edged chance to equalise through Tom Bearwish. Rose hooked a ball into the area which the Terras captain had struck viscously on the volley, but the ball dipped centimetres over the cross bar.
The Terras sent wave after wave of attack, with their next effort in the 71st minute. This time Blair, full of confidence worked his way through the middle of the park before sliding a pass through to Ash. The forward took on a curling strike but Henry got down low to his left to parry the ball behind for a corner
Wilkinson looked to change tact with 15 minutes to go, bringing on striker Ben Thomson for centre-back Carlyle and it looked to immediately set an impact. The substitute ran onto the end of a through pass, beating his defender before charging into the area and playing a low ball across the box, but the chance was cleared away.
Chippenham worked the ball out to Joe Parker well in the 83rd minute with the substitute able to look up and take on a strike but the ball was straight into the gloves of Oualah.
Moments later the visitors had another chance out of nowhere to double their lead. Caine Bradbury turned, trying his luck with a volley which caught both keeper and defenders unaware, but smacked against the upright and deflected clear.
In the 89th minute, Chippenham had another chance as Tom Mehew won the ball off David Sesay at the back. Mehew squared a ball to Parker at the back post but it was too hard for the substitute, with Parker catching up to the ball and turning, with the shot blazing high over the bar.
Seven minutes of stoppages were not enough for the Terras to find an equaliser as the Bluebirds played down the clock.
