Weymouth rounded off their pre-season campaign with a narrow 2-1 defeat to a Reading XI on Saturday afternoon at the Bob Lucas Stadium.
The Terras were looking controlled and posed their first threat on goal in the tenth minute, Max Hemmings dinked the ball into Goodship, who floated it across the face of goal. Keeper Harvey Collins fumbled the ball, giving Dan Roberts the chance to pounce on a shot but the visitors cleared away the danger with ease.
Three minutes later, the Royals had a gilt-edged chance to take the lead. Basil Tuma picked up possession in midfield and charged towards goal. The striker had turned the ball past the oncoming Gerard Benfield to give himself an open goal but Teddy Howe did well to come back quickly and block the shot off his right leg with the ball going behind for a corner.
Bobby Wilkinson was forced into a defensive change on the 18th minute when Jordan Thompson made way for Charlie Rowan.
Weymouth were through again in the 27th minute, this time Roberts won the ball from the last defender before squaring the ball to his forward partner, Brandon Goodship, who turned on the ball before it got caught under his feet and the chance was lost.
With two minutes left of the first half, the Terras were pressing for an opener. Teddy Howe’s ball from the right was lofted into the area for Roberts. The striker jumped highest to direct the headed effort towards goal but the header was blocked in the box and cleared away.
Joel Rollinson put in a dangerous free kick with the last kick of the half. The wingers deep set piece from the far side was met by the rising Charlie Rowan. The substitute kept the ball in play, flicking it onto Leo Hamblin who’s direct header yards out from goal was palmed away by Collins on the line.
Six substitutes heralded the start of the second half, with Brooks, Wabo, Monk, Rees and Melvin-Lambert coming on for Howe, Hemmings, O’Connell, Roberts, Goodship and Rollinson.
Weymouth were looking to capitalise on early second half pressure with a corner on the near side. The ball was fizzed into Slade inside the area. The substitute took a touch before trying to guide a low shot to the bottom right corner but Collins was there to make the save.
Melvin-Lambert was looking sharp after coming on, and combined well with Wabo in the early stages of the second half.
The strikers efforts paid dividends in the 59th minute as the Terras broke the deadlock. Slade’s low squared cross was to the feet of Melvin-Lambert, who took the ball down, beat an oncoming challenge and poked the ball beyond Collins.
The Terras couldn’t hold the lead for long after a mixup at the back between Benfield and Cheshire in the 67th minute allowed the Royal’s to regain possession easily. The ball fell to Charlie Wellens who dinked the ball over Benfield from range to level the game.
The Royals flipped the game on its head and took the lead six minutes later. Brooks lost possession facing goal which had allowed Reading players to swarm the defence. The ball fell to Reading’s Benja Purcell on the far side who cooly slotted the ball beyond Benfield in goal.
With ten minutes left, McQuoid was on free kick duty, teasing a ball into a crowded penalty box which needed to be punched clear by the substitute keeper.
Melvin-Lambert had the chance to draw the game level in the 88th minute. A ball from the near side was played low and made its way through a busy area, before Melvin-Lambert connected with a shot on the volley which narrowly went over the bar.
The Terras start their National League South campaign next week with a visit to Saint Albans City.
