Recap

Poole Town Ladies Reserves 1

Blazier 56’

Weymouth Women 7

Ackerman 5’ 11’ 37’ Howard 15’ Johnson 40’ 44’ Sibley 55’

Dorset Women’s League (05/12/21)

Report: James Spring

Terras Hit Magnificant Seven

Weymouth continued their hot streak with another emphatic victory on Sunday, this time hitting Poole Reserves for six in the first half to move up to second in the table.

They had to do it without one of their main attacking weapons in Lily Beasley, although they were able to welcome back Kristina Manktelow, Emma Potter, and Cimon Barnard-Irons.

The Terras could have hit the front less than 50 seconds into the contest when Shakira Howard beat the offside trap and went through one on one with the goalkeeper, but the goalkeeper was quickly off her line to smother the shot.

But just like last week at Broadstone, they only had to wait until the fifth minute to open the scoring. And again, just like last week – it was Dani Ackerman who opened the scoring.

Naomi Johnson played a ball into the channel which Ackerman picked up. She drove into the box before cutting inside and lashing the ball into the far corner of the goal to give Weymouth the early lead.

Six minutes later, the same pair combined to double the lead. This time a flowing passing move led to Johnson laying the ball off for Ackerman in the box, and she made no mistake – confidently firing home into the bottom corner.

Weymouth were looking in the mood for goals again, and on the quarter-hour mark, they were in dreamland.

The tricky Ackerman was fouled on the edge of the D and Weymouth were awarded a free-kick. Ackerman and Howard lined up behind the ball. Ackerman feigned to shoot but left it to Howard who hit a powerful strike that flew over the goalkeeper into the roof of the net to make it 3-0.

On 20 minutes Howard had another free-kick from a similar position tipped behind for a corner, and a couple of minutes later she showed great control to swivel and shoot from the edge of the box but it was again well saved by the goalkeeper.

Howard was causing the Poole defence all sorts of problems, and she was only a lick of paint away from her second of the afternoon on 32 minutes, but her dipping shot from 25 yards struck the crossbar and bounced to safety.

Weymouth were dominating all over the pitch, and it wouldn’t be long before the fourth goal arrived.

On 37 minutes Kristina Manktelow pinged a lovely cross-field ball to Howard who squared it to Ackerman who made no mistake, and completed her third hat trick in as many games.

Just 3 minutes later Manktelow found Johnson with another inch-perfect cross, and she finished brilliantly into the bottom corner to make it 5-0.

And Weymouth didn’t let up, they continued to press for goals and a sixth goal duly arrived a minute before halftime. Captain Charlie Wilson let fly from range and saw her effort saved by the home goalkeeper. But the poacher Naomi Johnson was there to pick up the scraps, and she tucked away the rebound inside the six-yard box to have Weymouth remarkably 6 to the good at the break.

Poole regrouped at halftime and began the second half with a point to prove. It was actually against the run of play that Weymouth added their seventh on 55 minutes, with player-manager Tasha Sibley taking advantage of a fumble from the Poole goalkeeper to slot the ball into an empty net.

Poole responded almost immediately – taking advantage of a rare defensive mix-up from Weymouth, as Jamie Blazier ran through one v one and coolly found the bottom right corner to make it 7-1.

Weymouth took their foot off the gas for the final half an hour and managed the game. Becca De Haviland saw a header blocked and a shot wide, Dani Ackerman had a shot wide, and Shakira Howard saw another free-kick well saved by the Poole goalkeeper, whilst at the other end the Terras’ defence made a number of crucial interventions as Poole tried to use their pace to get in behind the backline. Emma Potter in particular made several last-ditch challenges.

The last act of the game would see Wilson set up Howard who saw yet another effort superbly tipped wide by the goalkeeper, but the damage had been done in a scintillating first half, and the Terras picked up a crucial 3 points against a Poole side who are traditionally in the mix at the top end of the Dorset league.

It ended up being a perfect Sunday for Weymouth as the development team also picked up 3 points – defeating Bridport ladies 6-2 at Wey Valley. Two goals each from Ruby Clarke and Caprice Locke-White, and goals from Becca Hoare and Lauren Ellis saw them make it 3 wins from 3 in the Dorset recreational league.

Terras: Osment, Taylor, Potter, Whiting, B.Barnard-Irons, Sibley, Wilson, Manktelow, Johnson, Howard, Ackerman.

Subs on: de Havilland, C.Barnard-Irons.