REPORT: Weymouth 1-0 Bath City

By Alfie Lumb

Tom Bearwish provided late heroics for the Terras as his 87th minute penalty saw off the lacklustre Romans on Easter Monday at the Bob Lucas Stadium.

Ahkeem Rose switched the play from right to left in the 4th minute to find Tom Blair. The winger took the ball down well before being bundled over by Jack Batten on the edge of the penalty area. Blair stepped up to take the set-piece but the swinging shot with his right boot flew over the cross bar.

Ten minutes later the Terras were causing trouble for Roman defenders on the far side as Keelan O’Connell picked up the ball into the area before picking out Rose in space but the shot rolled inches wide of the left post.

A minute later Rose picked out Blair in the area. The forward danced past three Bath City defenders before teeing up a shot, but again the ball skimmed past the wrong side of the post for Weymouth.

Weymouth were turning on heat in the 14th minute and had another shot, this time through Bradley Ash, but Max Harris got down low to his left to make a comfortable save.

The Romans first and only invasion onto goal came in the 22nd minute, but Tom Smith’s half volley from range went fizzing well wide of goal.

Weymouth were trying their luck on goal again in the 34th minute. A long ball into the penalty area was kept alive by a looping header from Rose. The ball stood in the air a time before dropping into the path of Ash, who managed to acrobatically scorpion kick the ball to again have the ball roll wide of the goal. The flag was raised and so

Terras fans thought their side had opened the scoring in the 39th minute. The play had switched again to Blair on the left flank. The winger threaded the ball through to Bearwish who took on a strike with his left foot. The Weymouth captains shot hit the floor awkwardly before bouncing goal wards, changing trajectory and forcing Max Harris into a diving save to push the ball behind the post for a corner.

Looking for a goal, the Terras kept pressing before half time. Keelan O’Connell had unleashed a half-volley from over 25 yards out which had deflected off Kieran Parselle, forcing the ball high into the air for Harris to graciously collect. Then, moments later, Weymouth were in again. Rose put forward a deep ball with Ash chasing. Batten had slipped at a crucial time, allowing Ash through on goal but the Romans did well to come back and cover. Ash had to pick out O’Connell but he struggled to get a shot away with Bath City able to clear their lines.

Weymouth were quick to attack in the second half as some dogged pressing from Rose saw the striker win the ball back in the middle of the Roman’s half. Rose steamed forward and hurdled his way through defenders to find his way into the area. Rose tried to slot the ball low to Harris’ right but the keeper did well to come off his line and make a crucial save.

The game settled as both teams were fighting for possession but Blair popped up again in the 63rd minute, cutting the ball onto his right boot before curling a shot inches over the cross bar.

Blair let fire another shot in the 67th minute, winning possession in the area, but the effort was blasted straight at Harris who could only parry the ball away.

Teddy Howe tried his luck in the 74th minute as his shot across the face of goal had dragged wide and was cleared away, but only as far as Rose who took on a thunderous first time strike. Harris got behind the ball well however and again, the ball was forced into a busy penalty area. Brendan Willson was bustling with a Bath defender to poke a shot towards goal but Harris bundled the ball into his arms.

Weymouth put the ball in the back of the net in the 80th minute following a long ball up to Ash. The Terras striker took the ball down well in the area before putting the ball away, but the linesman raised his flag, putting a halt to celebrations.

Confusion between Blair and Rose after a one-two in the penalty area saw the latter fouled in the box with four minutes of normal time to play as Dale Wooton pointed to the penalty spot. Tom Bearwish stepped up to take the spot-kick, fooling Harris and sending the keeper the wrong way, with the ball smashing past Harris’ right, lifting the lid on the Bob Lucas Stadium.

With Dulwich Hamlet succumbing to a late equaliser at the hands of Hemel Hempstead, Weymouth are four points from safety with four games to go.