Roberts 41′
Plympton 3
Firth 3′ Brown-Tunnell P 65′ Metters 90+3′
South West Regional Women’s league Division 1 South (27/10/24)
An injury ravaged Weymouth went down to defeat in the battle of the top 2 at the Bob Lucas Stadium on Sunday.
The Terras were missing several key players for this game including top goalscorer Emily Screen, as well as Hannah Fowler. Tegan Standen remains sidelined along with Sarah Davis and Zara Holmes. Gracie Billing was also unavailable. However, there was some positive news, with Annie Redding returning to the midfield. Sarah Fowler and Sadie Osborne stepped up from the development team to take places on the bench.
Plympton haven’t lost a league game this calander year and came into this match top of the table with a 100% winning record. It was therefore no surprise that they started this game on the front foot – showing all the confidence of a side used to winning, and taking the lead just 3 minutes into the game.
Weymouth responded well with Ellia Webb firing inches wide from a tight angle on 7 minutes.
Plympton came close to a second after a quarter of an hour when the Terras failed to deal with a corner, and following a scramble in the box, a shot came in and flew wide of the post.
Shortly afterwards they worked their way in behind the Weymouth defence but the striker fired wide under pressure from Potter.
Webb went close again on 25 minutes when Porter’s free kick fell to her, and she fired a first time shot just over the crossbar.
At the other end, Heybourne got down well to make a sharp save low to her right, before bravely going to ground at a striker’s feet and taking a knock for her troubles after half an hour.
Plympton’s pace continued to cause problems for the Terras, with another counter-attack on 35 minutes resulting in Potter deflecting a shot behind for a corner, before Heybourne held onto a shot from close range.
Plympton were having a good spell but Heybourne continued to thwart them. On 37 minutes she did well to tip a low driven strike around the post. And 4 minutes later, Heybourne’s heroics between the sticks paid dividands.
Weymouth won a free kick on the edge of the visitors box. Wilson’s strike at goal was fumbled by the visiting goalkeeper into a mass of bodies. Lucy Roberts managed to prod the ball goalwards before an unfortunate defender got the final touch to put it over the line for 1-1.
And it almost got even better for Weymouth on the stroke of half time when Webb was sent down the flank by Roberts, but fired over the bar from the edge of the box.
Plympton had the final chance of the half – seeing a header go wide, and an entertaining first half ended with the sides all square.
Plympton came out fired up after the break and they had a good spell of pressure. Heybourne made a terrific reaction save with her leg on 56 minutes, and a minute later a shot from range landed on the roof of the net.
Plympton played some excellent passing football, moving the ball around with pace, but Weymouth continued to work hard as a team and stand firm.
Heybourne held onto a strike from range on 65 minutes, but a minute later the visitor’s persistent pressure paid off as Luxton was drawn into a foul in the box, and the resulting spot kick was duly converted to make it 2-1.
Weymouth’s heads didn’t drop and they never gave up. They began to throw more and more bodies forwards as the game ticked towards 90 minutes, but they were unable to fashion one final chance, and deep into injury time, Plympton exploited the spaces Weymouth had left at the back to make it 3-1 with a lightning counter attack.
A disappointing defeat for Weymouth on home soil, but a battling performance against a very good side who were better on the day. The Terras showed great determination, fight and spirit throughout the game, and they showed what they could do in the first half.
Weymouth remain second in the table, and will have a free week next week before they return to action at Honiton on 10th November.
Terras starting XI: Heybourne, Potter, Paul, Webb, Clark, Redding, Thornicroft, Porter, Roberts, Hopkins, Luxton. Subs: Wilson, S. Fowler, S. Osborne
