Assistant Tom Prodomo hails ‘positive’ Weymouth display after win

WEYMOUTH assistant-manager Tom Prodomo praised a “positive performance” as the Terras left it late to beat Kingstonian 3-1 in their second pre-season match at the Bob Lucas Stadium.

Just as with last week’s 6-0 loss at hands of Bournemouth under-23s, Prodomo emphasised the irrelevance of the scoreline but did draw positives from the encounter, in which Jake McCarthy, Abdulai Baggie and Harry Baker all scored.

Prodomo told Echosport: “Obviously the scoreline’s nice but as we said after last week’s defeat it’s not the defining factor.

“I thought it was a really positive performance, there were a lot more signs of familiarisation within the group and our understanding of our cues and triggers and the way we’re looking to play both with and without the ball.

“Off the back of a good week’s training I felt like it was a real good step forward as we move towards the rest of pre-season and then the league after that.”

The Terras started brightly as Ben Thomson was fed through and skipped over the challenge of a covering defender, but keeper Rob Tolfrey smothered his shot from 12 yards. Thomson headed over the resulting corner.

Weymouth were enjoying the better of the early play and trialist #7 linked up with Jake McCarthy on the right, exchanging passes before driving over.

Having weathered Weymouth’s opening spell of pressure, Kingstonian responded when Louie Theophanous collected a diagonal ball, beat Lee and saw his effort deflected wide.

Aaron Lamont then sent in the corner, which was headed across goal by Elliott Buchanan before Theophanous nodded over.

Kingstonian quickly conjured another two openings as the busy Theophanous shot low and wide from 25 yards before Lamont squared for Buchanan, but Jordan Seabright was able to gather for Weymouth.

Terras’ right wing-back Tony Lee drove down the right and looped in a cross for Josh Wakefield, who headed an attempt straight at Tolfrey when he might have scored.

Weymouth ended the half the stronger, particularly on the break and Wakefield spun out of a challenge before attempting to lob Tolfrey, but horribly executed his shot as the ball dribbled out of play.

But Weymouth took the lead as McCarthy zipped into space and curled a delicious effort around Tolfrey from 25 yards.

Trialist #11 then surged forward and hit the side-netting for Weymouth to end the first half.

Substitute Brandon Goodship was put clean through twice very early in the second half, having his effort saved and the rebound blazed over, before chesting down and placing a shot wide.

Three sharp chances for Kingstonian followed as Yao twice tested sub keeper Lloyd Thomas from 12 yards either side of a Theophanous shot.

A let-off for Thomas ensued, the stopper dropping Lamont’s 35-yard free-kick just short of the goal-line before collecting safely.

With 20 minutes remaining Thomas spilled a cross, leading to sub Reece Williams-Bowers hooking goalwards, only for Callum Buckley to scoop clear.

For the Terras, Trialist #19 forced a good low save from Tolfrey, who gathered before Goodship could pounce.

The Ks were finally able to capitalise on their good attacking play as Aaron McCallum nodded home a cross that Thomas could only get fingertips to, his attempt hitting the post and marginally crossing the line.

Superb work from Abdulai Baggie then fed Goodship, but the Terras’ marksman could only poke his effort straight at Tolfrey.

However, Baggie grabbed his side’s second goal of the game on 87 minutes, driving a firm shot into the top corner from 25 yards.

Moments later, Harry Baker beat Tolfrey and missed a gaping open goal, before slipping a finish underneath the Ks’ keeper with the final kick of the game.

Terras: Seabright (Thomas 46), Lee (Trialist #21 65), Sa (Baggie 60), Ngalo (Davis 54), Zubar (Wells 46), Buckley (Trialist #20 74), Trialist #7, McCarthy (Farruggia 63), Thomson (Goodship 46), Wakefield (Trialist #19 46), Trialist #11 (Baker 46). Sub: Trialist #22

Kingstonian: Tolfrey, Webb, Musungu (Williams-Bowers 54), Ibrahim, Chambers, Brewer, Lamont (McCallum 69), Allen (Yao 33), Buchanan (Sheath 71), Theophanous (AN Other #18), Faal. Sub: Richardson