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Robins rock Weymouth’s bid
By Dorset ECHO
| TRAVEL sickness set in once again for the Terras as Frome Town put Jason Matthews’ men to the sword to record their third-straight league win.A Lewis Haldane brace either side of ex-Terra Rhys Baggridge’s strike meant the visitors slipped to their sixth consecutive defeat on their travels and are still yet to register a point on the road in 2015.
Manager Jason Matthews handed George Rigg a start as he replaced Steve Colwell in the Weymouth midfield and playmaker Chris Shephard kept his spot in the Terras’ line-up after being taken off as a precaution at the weekend. There was also a return to the bench for marksman Tim Sills, who took the place of Conor Jevon. After Chris McPhee took an early clattering for the visitors, Frome’s Jon Vance blazed high and wide with the first shot of the contest. Matt Smith then went close for the Robins as he steered the ball just past the post, as Weymouth, troubled by their appalling away form since the turn of the year, looked to find their feet. And with their first opportunity, it was skipper Stewart Yetton who almost drew first blood for the Terras. He was given a glimpse of goal when put through, and while lifting the ball over Frome stopper Darren Chitty, his attempt fell marginally over the bar. Callum Laird, who kept his place after starting against Dunstable at the weekend, was then on hand for the home side to block Haldane’s effort, as he looked to bear down on goal and open his account. At the other end, Shephard and McPhee then linked up nicely in a slick Weymouth move, and the former’s strike forced a corner for the hosts and, from the resulting set-piece, the Terras nearly gained the advantage. Shephard linked up neatly with former Bristol City man Rigg, whose shot on the angle was blocked on the line. But after coming close themselves, Matthews’ men fell behind on 23 minutes. Good work from Robins’ midfielder Smith found towering striker Haldane, who made no mistake in bending the ball past the Weymouth goalkeeper with a sublime finish into the top corner. Minutes later, it could have been 2-0 to the home side when the ball eventually fell to Frome’s Ollie Taylor, who should have done better as he blasted the ball over the bar. As Shephard and Alec Fiddes continued to switch flanks, the Terras struggled to cut the resilient hosts open, and Callum Laird headed harmlessly over the bar. Five minutes short of the interval, Weymouth then came agonisingly close to bagging a leveller. Midfielder Dean Evans, who opened his account for the club in the Dorset Senior Cup against Poole Town last week, tried his luck and forced a sharp stop from Chitty to tip the ball on to a post. From the rebound, the ball kindly fell to Fiddes, who could only tamely fire back to the Robins’ gloveman, in what was a big let-off for the home side as Weymouth reached the break behind. And with around 10 minutes into the second period, Weymouth’s misery was doubled by former Terra Baggridge. He put the ball home after the visitors charged out from a free-kick looking for offside, and with no flag, Matthews fumbled into the path of the former Yeovil Town man, who made no mistake in doubling the Robins’ advantage. Then, within seconds of switching to a back three following the introduction of Sills and Robbie Matthews, Haldane was on hand to add a third as he nodded in when Jason Matthews failed to gather, and the Robins found themselves in dreamland. The home side then swung another set-piece into the area, and the ball eventually fell to defender Jack Vallis, a target earlier this season for Dorchester Town, who rattled the bar with a powerful strike. Yetton then provided the visitors with a rare bright moment as he tapped in to pull a goal back nine minutes from time to give the away side a glimmer of hope. But it proved to be a stark consolation for Jason Matthews’ charges, who were left to endure another miserable trip home.
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