Our first league game of the season resulted in a 3-2 defeat against Tonbridge Angels last Saturday at Longmead Stadium.
The match itself was an end-to-end one, with both teams having an abundance of chances.
Though, ultimately, the hosts were the more clinical side, being in the lead for the majority of the game.
In the view of skipper Tom Bearwish, it was a “15-minute” period during the first half that cost us in the end.
Within that time frame, three goals had been scored, the first by Liam Vincent in the 17th minute.
In the blink of an eye, though, we hit back with Malachi Linton’s equaliser just a minute afterwards.
But the hosts pounced at us yet again just moments later, when Trevan Robinson gave Tonbridge the lead once more in the 21st minute.
We eventually, as Bearwish said, “rectified” our issues, as we had our share of second-half chances.
In cruel fashion, though, the hosts broke down the pitch, feeding the ball to ex-Terra Sean Shields’, whose long-range screamer won the hosts the game with less than 20 minutes left.
So, despite Ezio Touray’s late consolation strike, our unfortunate falling from heaven at the hands of The Angels has happened once again.
In the starting line-up were SIX players who would play a competitive game in a Weymouth shirt for the first time.
One of those was full-back Brooklyn Genesini, who showed what type of player we will see this campaign inside the opening 10 minutes.
The collected defender coolly threaded the ball into the path of Keelan O’Connell inside our own box when tasked with making a clearance.
New keeper Billy Terrell impressed shortly afterwards, too, when he reacted quickly to Shields’ cross, punching the ball clear.
He could not repeat his heroics approx. seven minutes later, though, following Vincent’s arrival at the near-post.
The versatile Tonbridge player’s shot was initially met with the hands of Terrell, but the power of the strike left our shot-stopper unable to keep the ball out as the hosts took the lead.
Their celebrations, though, would last about a minute.
As Genesini proved his composure once more by picking out Linton with a long ball, our striker slowly but surely rolled the ball past Toby Steward to draw us level.
Linton previously told us of the “ecstasy” he felt after scoring every goal; he and the rest of the players evidently felt the same as we were now back in the game.
But, just as this league is always full of surprises, there was another twist in the tale just a few minutes later.
Trevan Robinson found himself in space just inside the box, firing a low shot past the left side of Terrell to put The Angels in front once again.
Then, once again, we created a chance for ourselves almost immediately after falling behind, as O’Connell used some trickery to cut inside and fire at Steward.
There would be no equaliser, though, as the Tonbridge keeper was able to catch our winger’s effort.
By now the game had reached 25 minutes, and we had already seen three goals and countless more chances.
Although the match did slightly calm down from then on, as the final chance of the half headed Tonbridge’s way.
Shields, three minutes before the break, ran down the right-hand side and managed to dribble past our defence.
Thankfully, though, Terrell held firm, as he pushed away the former-Terra’s near-post strike.
The start of the second half was an intense one, as our defence would have more work to do.
While the hosts would fire a header wide one minute after the break, their next opportunity was a little more dangerous…
Joe Tyrie headed towards goal two minutes later, this time forcing a goal-line clearance from our defence.
A headed chance of our own would also prove just as threatening in the 53rd minute.
Jordon Thompson rose above all, following Bearwish’s corner, before the ball rattled against the post.
Genesini would then try something ambitious with 20 minutes to go, attempting a 20-yard curler and firing just wide.
Then, as Tonbridge took their goal kick, we would experience just how cruel football can be.
It took no time at all for the hosts to break down the pitch and feed Shields, who set himself up for a strike at goal from approx. 25 yards out.
The shot beautifully curled towards goal, and then beyond Terrell, to double The Angels’ lead.
This left us two goals down with less than 20 minutes to play.
We could have been another goal down with only five minutes left, had Terrell not made two smart saves to keep us in the game by the skin of our teeth.
The first save was an impressive tip over the bar, before stopping Shields adding a second by pushing away his low, driven shot.
Terrell’s heroics proved further dividends when substitute Ezio Touray found himself in space with three minutes on the clock.
The star striker slotted home Euan Pollock’s ball to provide a nervy end to the game with little time left.
The hosts though, managed to hold on to leave us empty-handed in Tonbridge for the second successive season.
Our performance, however, provided plenty of positives ahead of our first home game of the season this Saturday [15.00 BST]
