After a tumultuous first week in the hot seat, Steve Claridge and his team welcomed Hanwell Town to the Bob Lucas Stadium for his first league game in charge.
During the week, the new gaffers rebuild has seemingly well and truly started. Jerry Gyebi, Joe McNerny and Jake McCarthy all left the club, while former fans favourite Brooklyn Genesini returned. He was joined by David Mantle, signed on loan from Coventry City.
Both new signings started the game, Mantle starting alongside Kieran Douglas at centre half, while Genesini made his second debut at Left back at the expense of youngster Victor Odiaka. Jake McCarthy’s departure meant exciting young midfielder Callum Watts was brought into the starting eleven and a niggling hamstring injury kept Matty Burrows out of the squad, who was replaced down the right flank with the energetic Tom Hewlett.
The only change for the visitors from their FA Cup victory against Cray wanderers the previous week was Ed Cooper replacing Ade Shokunbi.
The swirling wind around the Bob Lucas certainly played its part in the first half as both teams struggled early on in an attacking sense.
The Terras started the game brightly and looked to find space behind the Hanwell Town wing backs. Crosses from Goodship, Genesini and Hanger tried to test the visitors resolve, but it was the visitors with the first real sight of goal. Harry Hoaths first time ball found its way to Jordy Mongoy on the left hand side. The 26 year old cut inside and found half a yard to get a shot away, but it never troubled Clark and flashed harmlessly into the side netting.
The half continued with few chances for either side. Taylor miles delivered a wicked free kick which was met by Harry Hoath but he was unable to direct his header on target.
The only shot on target from either side came from Tom Bearwish for the Terras. The skipper from a yard of space on the right corner of the penalty and drove a vicious shot on target, but straight at Hanwell stopper and Captain Sam Beasant. The half time scoreline of 0-0 was a very fair reflection of the opening 45 minutes.
The wind showed no signs of slowing down as the second half began.
As was the case in the opening 45 minutes, the first chance of the second half fell to the visitors. Once again it was a Taylor Miles free kick from the left hand side that caused Weymouth some nervy moments. There was a touch of confusion in the Terras penalty area and the ball fell for Jordy Mongoy whose shot was blocked. The rebound fell kindly for Pendlebury, but his fierce shot was well saved by Ben Clark.
Brooklyn Genesini and Brandon Goodship continued to work well together down the left hand side for the home side and the latter found himself in space on that side. He attempted to square the ball to Reuben Reid, but the Hanwell centre halves closed Reid down quickly and the chance went begging.
The half continued with very little in the way of chances and the game looked as if it was fizzling out. There was one more big chance for both sides.
First it was Weymouth to almost snatch it. A corner from the right hand side was delivered and on the left corner of the six yards box, David Mantle almost put a cherry on top of a very impressive debut when he managed to get his head to the ball, but the central defender couldn’t get his header on target.
Sixty seconds later, Hanwell’s Nditi almost won the game for the Geordies. The ball fell loose on the right hand side of the Terras own six yard box and Nditi reacted quickest. It looked a certain goal, but Luke Cook threw himself in front of the ball and managed to divert it over the top for a late Hanwell corner.
The majority of the 852 crowd went home happy with the improved Weymouth performance. It was a game that lacked any decisive spark, yet Manager Steve Claridge will be delighted with a clean sheet and a point on his return to the Bob Lucas dugout.
WEYMOUTH: Clark, Hanger, Douglas, Mantle, Watts, Genesini, Bearwish, Goodship (Cook 84), Robinson, Hewlett (Yeboah 73), Reid
SUBS NOT USED: Smalley, Sneap, Stavrianos
HANWELL TOWN: Beasant, Nditi, Wilson, Woodcock, Seabrook, Hoath, Cooper, Miles, Pendlebury (Cole 77), Clayton (English 77), Mongoy (Elliott 71)
SUBS NOT USED: Carr, Patrick
ATTENDANCE: 852
REFEREE: Lewis Ward
