Weymouth 4
Screen 36’ Webb 58’ Wilson 65’ Redding 75’
Honiton Town 0
South west regional women’s league division 1 south (08/09/24)
Weymouth’s women got their league campaign off to a perfect start with a convincing victory over newly promoted Honiton Town at the Bob Lucas Stadium.
Scarlet Paul and Zara Holmes both made their first league appearances in the claret and blue, and the Terras were boosted by both Ellia Webb and Lucy Roberts being fit to play, after both had recent stays in hospital.
After a cagey start to proceedings, Weymouth had the games first chance on 17 minutes when Emily Screen was sent through by Lucy Roberts and she forced an excellent diving save from the visiting goalkeeper.
Honiton then had their first opportunity a couple of minutes later when a shot was dragged wide after Weymouth failed to clear their lines, before Emma Potter was on hand to deflect a stinging shot behind.
Hannah Fowler won the goal of the season award for a spectacular long range effort last season and on 25 minutes she very nearly repeated the trick in this one, only for the goalkeeper to pull off an excellent save – tipping the ball over the crossbar when it looked destined for the top corner.
Hinton then had their best chance of the first half on 28 minutes. They pressured Weymouth into a mistake in a dangerous area of the pitch, but the resulting shot was fired just wide of the post.
Weymouth then counter-attacked with Roberts sending Billing away down the right flank. Weymouth had a 3 on 2 overload with 2 players in the box, but Billing went for goal herself and the shot was into the side netting. On 31 minutes, Weymouth had the ball in the net after Annie Redding finished off a lovely passing move, only to be denied by the offside flag.
The Terras would only have to wait a few more minutes to get their goal though. On 36 minutes Wilson saw a shot blocked. It bounced back to her and she was able to flick the ball over a defender into the path of Emily Screen, and the prolific striker made no mistake – rolling the ball into the bottom corner to open the scoring.
Potter made a crucial block on the edge of the box just before the interval to ensure Weymouth took their 1-0 lead into half time.
Weymouth began the second half on the front foot and had numerous chances to double their lead.
On 49 minutes Screen pressured a defender into a mistake and played in Webb who shot wide of the mark, and a minute later Screen headed Billing’s cross wide.
Weymouth nearly paid for their missed chances shortly afterwards when Honiton managed to get in behind the defence and have a shot on goal, but Sarah Davis was in the right place at the right time to make a crucial goal line clearance.
Weymouth would continue to push for a second goal. Screen hooked Fowler’s cross wide, and then she fired Webb’s cross wide after the young forward showed great tenacity to win the ball in the corner.
Weymouth’s pressure was finally rewarded on 58 minutes as Wilson played a perfectly weighted ball through the middle of the Honiton defence into the path of Webb, and the youngster kept her composure to find the bottom corner to make it 2-0.
Honiton tried to respond but Heybourne was alert to make a couple of routine saves before Weymouth virtually killed the game with their third goal on 65 minutes, with a neat one-two between Screen and Wilson in the box resulting in the latter firing hard and low across the goalkeeper into the bottom corner.
Wilson would cap a fine individual display by notching her third assist of the game on 75
minutes, this time setting up Annie Redding with another defence splitting pass. Redding ran through on goal and made no mistake to sign off a terrific opening day for the Terras. The Terras hit the road next Sunday to face new opposition again in St Austell based club, Sticker AFC, who picked up a 2-2 draw at Yeovil in their opening game.
Weymouth’s development team’s opening game away to Bournemouth Electric was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch on Sunday. They’ll hope to get their season up and running this Sunday when they host Bournemouth Manor at Redlands.
Terras starting XI: Heybourne, Potter, Davis, Paul, Screen, Clark, Redding, Billing, Roberts, Luxton,
Fowler.
Substitutes: Webb, Wilson, Holmes
Player of the match: Hannah Fowler
