Recap

Silva start helps Weymouth defeat Waders

THIAGO Caze da Silva ensured a golden beginning to his first start for Weymouth, scoring three minutes into game to send the Terras on their way to a 2-1 victory at Biggleswade Town in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division.

Brandon Goodship also netted while a late own goal from Will Dennis saw Weymouth endure a spell of pressure to hold onto all three points while the returning Harry Baker twice went close after replacing Goodship midway into the second half.

The win moves Weymouth to within a point of second-placed King’s Lynn Town and five clear of fourth-placed Kettering Town, who have three games in hand.

Weymouth made one change as da Silva came in for Josh Wakefield, following on from his debut appearance in the 2-0 loss away at Hereford.

Mark Cooper missed the game as he played for Melksham Town to build up match fitness, starting and scoring in their 8-2 win against Wells City.

Aaron Rodriguez meanwhile moved to Dorchester Town permanently in a move announced prior to the match. Since he returned to the Terras from his loan spell at the Magpies he made one start and two appearances off the bench.

Weymouth had Baker back in his first appearance in the matchday squad since suffering a head injury following a dreadful challenge in the 3-0 win against Royston Town.

Weymouth started the match with a bang as three minutes in da Silva bagged his debut goal, nodding in to give Weymouth an early lead.

Greg Kaziboni had forced the Terras into early action a minute prior to the goal as they had to clear his cross but the visitors swiftly responded with the goal.

The Waders were causing problems for Weymouth, with Liam Brooks shooting narrowly wide after nine minutes, before Jack Bowen missed with a headed effort moments later.

The game entered a relative lull at this point, with the home side having some decent possession but without really troubling the Terras.

Dennis was then called into action when a cross was swung in for the home side but Bowen headed straight at the Terras’ stopper in the 24th minute.

Biggleswade were maintaining their possession but a corner and a free-kick still left the Weymouth defence relatively untroubled.

Nine minutes later Goodship went close after being fed by Abdulai Baggie but his shot was saved by Liam Gooch in the Biggleswade goal.

Late on in the half Goodship made sure his 30th goal for Weymouth in the league was a spectacular one as he lifted the ball over a defender before lobbing Gooch to double the Terras’ lead.

The whistle for half-time blew shortly after as the well-taken strikes gave the Terras a 2-0 lead in a half that saw the Weymouth defence do well to restrict the Waders’ opportunities.

Weymouth had an early chance headed wide in the second half but the early stages of the half were quiet, with the best opportunity being a free-kick that Ashley Wells and Dennis eventually cleared away.

Baker made his return halfway into the second half, replacing Goodship, and he came close to getting a goal shortly after coming on, as he took a shot that forced Gooch to tip onto the post in the 68th minute.

Again the Waders were having good spells of possession but Weymouth’s two goal lead was increasingly looking like a mountain to climb at this stage in the game.

But the Terras would soon find their hopes of a clean sheet dashed as Dennis pulled off a great save to deny a shot from Brooks but from the resulting corner from Craig Daniel the ball was scrambled into the back of the net, being recorded as an own goal against the Weymouth goalkeeper.

Weymouth then faced pressure from the home side as they looked to equalise. Despite this, Baker was only denied by a good save from Gooch while late efforts from Robbie Parker and Daniel went wide and were saved by Dennis respectively but Weymouth stayed firm to hold onto all three points.

The Terras are next in action against second-from bottom Dunstable Town on Saturday (3pm), who were beaten 7-1 by Tiverton Town this weekend.