Weymouth Women 1st v Bath City

Recap

Weymouth 1

Screen 27′

Bath City 2

Ellis OG 4′ Goater P 49′

South West Women’s League East Division (12/11/23)

Weymouth paid for poor starts to both halves as Bath City took all 3 points from the BLS on a very wet afternoon.

Just 4 minutes into the game, an extremely unfortunate own goal gave Bath the lead when Ellis went to block a cross, but the ball cannonned off her and looped over a helpless Chard into the net.

Bath were on top in the early stages and they thought they’d doubled their lead on 21 minutes but they were denied by the offside flag.

On 25 minutes the Terras equalised and it came out of nowhere. They won a free kick in the centre of the field some 35 yards out, and with her first touch off of the bench, Emily Screen hit an absolute rocket of a strike that flew over the goalkeeper into the net for 1-1.

That equaliser sparked the Terras into life, and Screen almost had her second of the afternoon on 37 minutes when Sophie Bonfield pressured a defender into a mistake and played the ball across the box to Screen, but under pressure she fired wide of the mark.

Bath then went close to restoring their lead before the break when they got in behind the Terras’ defence, and goalkeeper Chard was quickly off her line to narrow the angle, and tip an attempted chip behind for a corner. The corner then caused a real scramble in the box with Weymouth defenders putting their bodies on the line to block a couple of shots before the ball was fired over, and sides went in level at the break.

Unfortunately Weymouth suffered a nightmare start to the second half, as just 4 minutes after the break Sophie Perry was adjudged to have fouled a Bath striker in the box, and Goater converted the resulting spot kick to restore City’s lead.

City were inches away from doubling their advantage on 57 minutes when Chard palmed a fierce drive back out, and the follow-up shot was slammed against the post before being cleared.

Weymouth came close to equalising 5 minutes later when Webb skipped away from the full back down the wing and whipped a brilliant cross in which was met by Screen, but her header looped over the bar.

Bath would then have a second goal dissalowed for offside, before Chard got down well to hold a low shot from the edge of the D.

Next up it was Ruby Clark’s turn to try her luck for Weymouth. She was teed up by Screen after a driving run but her scuffed effort from the edge of the box didn’t trouble the keeper.

Weymouth’s best chance of an equaliser came 3 minutes from time. Gracie Billing charged down the right flank and played a ball through to Clark, who managed to cut inside a defender and shot from just inside the box, but the Bath goalkeeper made an excellent save to tip it behind for a corner which ultimately came to nothing.

That proved to be the final chance for Weymouth who fell to a first defeat in 4 games. A frustrating afternoon for the Terras who didn’t quite reach the performance levels of the last few weeks, however they were still unlucky not to take anything from the game.

They now get a break from league action, as they travel to Bournemouth Manor in the Dorset County Cup next Sunday.

There was also frustration for the development team who suffered a 5-2 reverse to Poole Reserves, despite first half goals from Zara Hunt and Bianca Osborne, along with a sack full of other chances. They travel to Wimborne in the cup next Sunday.

Terras starting XI: Chard, Potter, Standen, Ellis, Clark, Redding, Wilson, Roberts, Webb, Fowler, Davis. Subs – Screen, Billing, Perry, Bonfield.

First team player of the match: Emily Screen

Development Team player of the match: Choe Le Page