Weymouth undone by Boreham Wood’s moment of magic

BOREHAM WOOD 1

Tshimanga 72

WEYMOUTH 0

WEYMOUTH were undone by a moment of magic from Kabongo Tshimanga as Boreham Wood claimed a tense 1-0 win at Meadow Park.

In a free-flowing Vanarama National League contest, chances came at either end as Weymouth’s Andy Dallas and Tshimanga were denied.

Sean Shields saw a chip turned onto the bar by Wood keeper Nathan Ashmore but the hosts improved in the second half and got the winner as Tshimanga’s rocket thundered past Ethan Ross.

With the Terras well in contention throughout, the result will disappoint Weymouth boss Brian Stock, who parted with the starting XI he had named in the past three league games.

The former Wales midfielder made two changes to the side that began Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Notts County.

Brennan Camp earned a recall to the starting XI, while there was a first start in Weymouth colours for Cameroon under-23 international winger Pierre Fonkeu.

Camp replaced Calvin Brooks at right-back, the latter dropping to the bench, while Fonkeu came in for fellow wide man Joan Luque, who joined Brooks in the dugout.

Coming into the game, Weymouth were eighth in the away form table and made a good start to their latest trip on the road as ex-Wood loanee Ollie Harfield’s cross narrowly evaded a teammate in the first minute.

Wood settled and Kane Smith threatened at the other end for the hosts, firing off target, before Weymouth midfielder Jake McCarthy nodded at home keeper Ashmore following a flurry of corners.

Weymouth continued in the same vein as Fonkeu nearly played striker Dallas in but his pass was intercepted.

However, the Terras’ progress was checked as the Wood created the game’s first big chance.

Keiran Murtagh’s free-kick found its way to Tshimanga who brought a stunning flying stop from Ross, the keeper then clouted by Junior Morias to earn a free-kick.

As Wood began to find some control of the game, Harfield swiftly got across to block a Corey Whitely effort.

That was until Weymouth spurned their best chance of the half when Dallas, racing clean through, was superbly denied by Ashmore.

Shields was denied on the rebound and Fonkeu could only rifle wide in a hat-trick of opportunities on the half-hour.

An entertaining end-to-end half lived on as Tshimanga slammed a shot into the side netting, Ross looking to have it covered.

Weymouth finished the half the stronger, though, as an impudent Shields chip was superbly clawed onto the bar by Ashmore for a corner which came to nothing.

Concerningly for Weymouth, the half did not end without incident as skipper Josh McQuoid trudged off with two minutes remaining, Luque his replacement.

When the sides resumed, it took less than a minute for Dom Revan to earn the game’s first yellow card, bringing down Whitely who was poised to run freely at goal.

Amid a barrage of rain, Weymouth pressed on and saw a Shields cross crunched clear by the home defence.

Moments after Camp headed clear a shot at goal, Stock looked to his bench for the second time to bring off Fonkeu for Cameron Murray in the 66th minute.

After the change, Weymouth looked edgy as Ross scooped up a loose ball in the area before making an important stop from Gus Mafuta.

And with the warning signs there, Wood sprang upfield following a Weymouth corner to take the lead in the 72nd minute, Tshimanga showing great strength to hold off the covering defence and hammer past Ross.

With just under 20 minutes to get back on level terms, Weymouth retaliated through a Luque volley that Ashmore did well to catch.

Wood sat tight and looked the likelier to score a second as Jamal Fyfield headed wide at the back post before Murtagh skied the follow-up when Revan bravely denied Femi Ilesanmi.

Two minutes from time Wood defender Tom Champion, who had had an excellent game, went off injured as the hosts began to feel the nerves themselves.

But they successfully held on to inflict a second straight defeat on 21st-placed Weymouth.

Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Champion (Francis-Angol 88), Pearce, Fyfield, Smith, Mafuta, Murtagh, Ilesanmi, Whitely, Morias (Rhead 66), Tshimanga (Coulthirst 90+5). Subs not used: Stephens, Huddart.

Terras: Ross, Camp (Brooks 84), Ngalo, McCarthy, McQuoid (Luque 43), Dallas, Mensah, Revan, Harfield, Shields, Fonkeu (Murray 66). Subs not used: Benfield, Robinson.