Written by James Spring
Honiton Town Women 2
25′ 88′
Screen 7′ 64′ Thornicroft 13′
South West Regional Women’s league Division 1 south (10/11/24)
Weymouth edged a 5 goal thriller at Mountbatton Park to maintain second place in the table, thanks in large part to an exceptional performance from goalkeeper Issy Heybourne.
Top goal scorer Emily Screen, and Hannah Fowler both returned to action having missed the defeat to Plympton a fortnight ago, and Weymouth were also boosted by the arrival of new signing Holly Weaver-Coles from Wimborne Town. She began her debut on the bench alongside Laura Luxton, and Sarah Fowler.
The talismatic Screen wasted no time in getting back on the goal scoring trail. Just 7 minutes into the contest she met Webb’s inch perfect corner and powered a bullet header past the goalkeeper to give Weymouth the lead.
Webb went close herself a minute later but fired over the bar from an awkward angle, and she then almost turned provider again when she showed great control to bring a high dropping ball down and send Redding away down the flank, but her shot was well saved.
Celebrating her 18th birthday, Kaydee Thornicroft showed great energy to keep the ball in play in the corner and dig out a cross for Screen, whose first time shot was wide of the mark.
But a minute later, the birthday girl would make her mark. Annie Redding played a lovely ball through the defence which the youngster latched onto, and she fired in via the post to double the Terras’ lead after just 13 minutes.
Honiton responded well – winning a corner which Fowler headed clear under her crossbar.
On 18 minutes Clark intercepted a pass and drove forwards before finding Webb, and her shot was narrowly wide of the post.
A minute later, Honiton goalkeeper Marta Mansfeld made a stunning double save from Screen, and then she thwarted Screen again after she got onto Wilson’s flick on.
Mansfeld’s efforts to keep her side in the contest were rewarded on 25 minutes, as Honiton halved the deficit – heading home a corner at the front post.
The remainder of the first half became a scrappy affair with both sides struggling to keep hold of the ball for a sustained period. Honiton went close to an equaliser shortly before the interval – seeing a shot fly wide after Weymouth failed to clear their lines, and Weymouth took their narrow lead into half time.
Honiton increased the pressure after the interval. They saw a header go narrowly wide at the back post on 49 minutes, before Lucy Roberts warmed Mansfeld’s palms with a free kick 4 minutes later.
Just before the hour mark, Screen attempted to catch out Mansfeld with a lob from distance but the home goalkeeper was equal to it, and a minute later it was Heybourne’s turn to pull off some heroics, as she showed great reactions to tip a powerful strike around the post for a corner.
On 62 minutes, Heybourne was beaten by a swerving long range strike, but the crossbar came to Weymouth’s rescue this time – the ball cannoning back off the bar before being cleared to safety.
That stroke of good fortune would prove pivotal, as Weymouth went straight up the other end and restored their 2 goal cushion with the best move of the game.
Clark brought the ball out of defence and played it down the line for Webb. The youngster used her electric pace to race onto it and get the better of the full back, getting to the byline before pulling it back across the face of goal for Screen to slide home.
With 15 minutes to go, Thornicroft nearly got her second of the game but Mansfeld thwarted her with a sharp save low to her left, and from the resulting corner, Webb curled a shot wide from the edge of the box.
Honiton weren’t finished yet though, and in the final few minutes they threw evertyhing at it. On 83 minutes, Heybourne again showed terrific reactions to deflet a close range strike behind, before bravely claiming the resulting corner and taking a heavy knock for her troubles.
Heybourne was in terrific form. Honiton continued to push, but the Terras stopper made another crucial intervention on 85 minutes. Hontion’s striker managed to get the better of Potter and was through on goal, but Heybourne got a strong hand on the shot to force it wide.
The home side did manage to set up a grandstand finish, as Weymouth were undone by another set-piece on 88 minutes, with the hosts scrambling home a corner at the back post.
The hosts were unable to fashion a final opportunity though, and Weymouth held out for a 6th win in 8 league games.
It was an untidy affair with plenty of action at both ends. Weymouth weren’t at their fluent best, but they’ve shown already this season that they know how to grind out results, and they did that again in this one.
The Terras remain second in the table, 3 points behind leaders Plympton who have a game in hand.
Terras starting XI: Heybourne, Potter, Paul, Roberts, Clark, H. Fowler, Redding, Wilson, Webb, Screen, Thornicroft. Subs: S. Fowler, Luxton, Weaver-Coles
