Terras book place in National League South Playoff final
WEYMOUTH 3
DORKING WANDERERS 2
They had Molesley’s Heroes on the back of their shirt and they certainly lived up to the phrase as they booked themselves a place in the National League South Playoff final.
Yemi Odubade finished the job for Weymouth in stoppage time after Dorking pegged back a two-goal Weymouth lead.
Dartford will be visitors at the Bob Lucas Stadium next weekend after their victory at Havant & Waterlooville earlier in the afternoon.
Weymouth made two changes from their 2-0 victory over Slough Town 133 days ago, Andreas Robinson starting in place of Ben Thomson and Josh Wakefield replacing Tom Whelan.
In a flying start for the Terras, it didn’t take long for Weymouth to take the lead, when Robinson was fouled off the ball in the first minute, Referee Daniel Lamport didn’t hesitate to point to the spot.
Weymouth captain and former Northern Ireland international Josh McQuoid stepped up and confidently dispatched the penalty past Samuel Howes.
Ten minutes in and Jaidon Anthony looked to have found some space when he charged at the Dorking defence unopposed, his 25-yard shot, however, was easily held.
2 minutes later and Anthony did take his chance, completely unopposed again he slotted his shot around Howes to double Weymouth’s lead.
Lewis Taylor’s day came to an end for Dorking in the 15th minute when he went down injured and was replaced by Daniel Gallagher.
Riding on a high of opening the scoring, McQuoid was the first into the book shortly after the drink’s break when he brought down Matthew Briggs from behind with a robust sliding tackle.
Anthony continued to look a livewire in the centre-forward position, an excellent challenge from fellow AFC Bournemouth loanee Brennan Camp followed by a searching through-ball almost saw Anthony in on goal again but for an important interception from Edward Harris.
It took 40 minutes for Dorking to have any real effort at goal, Naill McManus fired in anger from 20 yards out but his effort went well wide.
Robinson followed McQuoid into the referee’s notebook shortly before half-time when he was punished for a sliding tackle just inside the Dorking half.
In stoppage time of the first half Dorking created their best chance of the game, a testing cross by Nicholas Wheeler found Jason Prior at the back post, but the experienced striker fluffed his lines and headed wide from 6 yards out.
Anthony continued the second-half from where he left off the first, weaving his way into the Dorking penalty area he dodged Harris’ challenge but Philpott pulled off a brilliant challenge to prevent the ex-Arsenal man adding to his tally.
Shortly after Ben Thomson entered the fray when he replaced McQuoid who limped off injured.
In the 52nd minute, Weymouth rode their luck, Briggs beat the challenge on Harfield and sent in a low dangerous cross, the ball ricocheted around the area before eventually being cleared.
Anthony continued to look to add another for himself and Weymouth, this time a curling 25-yard effort from him going narrowly wide.
Weymouth were lucky again, an uncharacteristic mistake from Ward presented McShane with a golden opportunity, but fortunately for the Terras, the Dorking striker’s shot was straight at the Cherries’ teenager.
Dorking spurned yet another opportunity just after the hour, McShane broke down the left and crossed into Prior, but Prior couldn’t get a decent connection and his touch went wide.
Halfway through the second-half and Briggs attacked Weymouth’s left side, with everybody thinking the Dorking wide-man was going to make a cross he tried to catch Ward out at the near-post, Ward, however, was on hand to make an easy save.
Anthony was then called on to show his defensive side of the game, with the ball bouncing around in the Weymouth area, he cleared the danger with an acrobatic overhead kick.
The Surrey-based side did manage to pull one back in the 73rd minute through McShane, a well-taken volley from 12 yards out flying into the bottom the corner.
Seconds later and Anthony had a chance to restore Weymouth’s two-goal advantage, a great run from Ben Thomson set Anthony up on the edge of the area, but his shot flew over the Dorking goal and into the empty stand.
To follow was two huge penalty shouts for the Terras. In the 76th minute when Thomson had his shirt pulled in the box by Philpott, Lamport emphatically waved away any Weymouth appeals.
Weymouth had another huge penalty shout minutes later, this time Whelan brought down just inside the penalty area after a nice one-two with Brooks; Lamport again waved away the appeals.
Dorking were finally rewarded for their endeavour with 5 minutes to play, substitute Buchanan firing past Ward into the bottom corner to find an equaliser for the Wanderers and looked to be sending the game to a penalty shootout.
Jaidon Anthony did look to have won it with minutes remaining, the ball ended up in the back of the net after his initial shot was saved, but the linesman ruled Anthony to have been offside.
But the lead was restored with minutes to go, after just celebrating his 36th birthday, Yemi Odubade popped up in stoppage with his thigh to score the winner and send the Terras one step closing to National League football.
Terras: Ward, Camp, Harfield, Ngalo (Murray 60’), McCarthy, McQuoid (Thomson 48’), Anthony, Wakefield (Zubar 83’), Robinson (Whelan 60’), Brooks (Odubade 83’), Hobson.
Subs not used: Childs.
Dorking: Howes, Philpot, Dyet (D. Gallagher 15’), Harris, McManus, Prior, Muitt (J. Gallagher 46’), McShane, Briggs, Taylor (Buchanan 60’) Wheeler (Richards 60’).
Subs not used: O’Sullivan, Huk.
