Shaftesbury Town Ladies v Weymouth Women 1st

Roberts 38′
Benefer 45′

Weymouth 7

Thornicroft 18′
OG 70′
Fowler 72′
Roberts 83′
Screen 86′ 90′
Hunt 90+4′

South West Regional Women’s league East Division (17/12/23)

Weymouth hit a magnificent 7 to pick up a valuable 3 points away to relegation rivals Shaftesbury on Sunday.

The Terras were still without Tegan Standen through injury and Ruby Clark through illness, and were also without Lauren Ellis and Jody Sapsford. They were however, able to welcome back Emily Screen from illness, whilst Laura Luxton and Chloe Franks stepped up from the development team.

Having made an unwanted habit of starting games slowly of late, Weymouth made a positive start in this one. They had the games first chance 3 minutes in, when Sophie Perry’s outswinging corner was met by Screen, but her first time shot was held by the goalkeeper.

A minute later, Wilson warmed the goalkeeper’s palms with a free kick, before Kate Chard was called into action at the other end as she held onto a swerving long range effort.

Screen then had another effort from the edge of the box on 13 minutes but the ball bounced wide of the post. But within 5 minutes, Weymouth made the breakthrough thanks to a wonderful individual goal from Kaydee Thornicroft. Wilson won possession from a Shaftesbury throw in deep in her own half and Thornicroft was sent down the right flank, ran into the box, and lobbed the ball over the keeper to make it 1-0.

Kate Chard then had to be alert on the half hour mark to make a good double save, first palming a free kick away before blocking the rebound. She then tipped a shot behind for a corner as the home side grew into the contest.

On 38 minutes Weymouth had a glorious chance to double their lead, as Redding saw an effort blocked on the line by a defender, and it proved to be a crucial intervention, as Shaftesbury counter attacked, and Roberts rode several challeneges before firing into the bottom corner of the net to level the scores.

The home sides tails were up, and right on the stroke of half time, they completed the turnaround. Chard saved a free kick but couldn’t hold onto it and Benefer swept home the rebound.

There was still time for Weymouth to go close to an equaliser in injury time, when Webb’s effort was blocked by the goalkeeper, and Redding blasted the rebound over the bar, meaning Shaftesbury went into half time with the lead.

The Terras came out all guns blazing in the second half. Roberts saw a shot from the edge of the box well held early in the second half, as Weymouth saw plenty of the ball in the opening quarter of an hour of the second half, and the home side dug in to protect their lead.

Weymouth came close to a second on the hour mark when Wilson’s through ball found Webb but she fired wide under pressure from a covering defender.

A minute later, Thornicroft fired just over the bar on the turn from the edge of the box, before Webb pulled one across the face of goal which neither Screen or Thornicroft could get a toe on.

It was all one way traffic though, and on 70 minutes the pressure finally told. They got a stroke of luck as Thornicroft’s cross took a heavy deflection off of a defender and beat the goalkeeper at her near post.

The Terras wasted no time in making their momentum count, as just 2 minutes later they went back in front. Billing pickd it up in her own half and drove forwards before finding Hannah Fowler who unleased an absolute rocket from midway inside the Shaftesbury half which flew over the keeper to make it 3-2.

The confidence was visibily flowing through the Terras’ veins now, and they doubled their lead on 82 minutes. Redding was fouled around 25 yards out and Roberts’ free kick flicked off of the wall and into the net.

And they didn’t take their foot off the gas, as on 86 minutes Redding found Screen who charged forwards and fired home from the edge of the box to make it 5-2, before she got her second on 90 minutes as she closed down an attempted clearance from the keeper and the ball ricocheted into the net.

And there was still time for Zara Hunt to get on the scoresheet in added time, as she latched onto Screen’s flick on, rounded the goalkeeper and slotted home to seal a resounding 7-2 win for the Terras.

A magnificent second half performance from Weymouth who showed great character to fight back and take home all 3 points. The win gives them some much needed breathing space at the bottom of the table during the Christmas break. They’ll return to action on 7th January with a long trip to Purton.

Terras starting XI: Chard, Potter, Davis, Screen, Fowler, Perry, Thornicroft, Wilson, Billing, Roberts, Luxton. Subs – Hunt, Redding, Webb, Franks, Heybourne.

Player of the match: Gracie Billing