WEYMOUTH 3
Leitch, Lowe, Henderson
YEOVIL TOWN 3
THE crowd of almost 2,000 at Weymouth Rec on Saturday would certainly agree that this was one of the most exciting derby games fought out between the Terras and Yeovil for many years.
But there was one man at least who had mixed feelings about the result – Weymouth manager Graham Carr.
“It was tremendous entertainment for the fans,” he told me, “but it was a nightmare for me.
“We gave two more silly goals away and we lost another home point which we should have had. Most of the goals we have given away this season have been unnecessary ones, and we have seen another example of our failing.”
Free-Kick
He felt that both of Yeovil’s second-half goals should have been prevented.
The first was in the 57th minute when Steve Flay beat home goal-keeper Gordon Livsey from 20 yards after receiving the ball square in the middle of the field from a Brian Jones free kick.
The second came two minutes later when Dave Platt was on target following a break and a cross from Steve Morrall.
“We had four men in a wall for the free kick,” said Carr, “but from where I was sitting I do not feel they were lined up properly. That goal should have been cut out.
“The, what about that sloppy tackle by Graham Durkin which let Morrall through? That goal, too, should never have come.”
The teams battled keenly throughout the 90 minutes and it was heartening to see so little over-aggressive play, although Barry Dominey, the Yeovil centre-half, was booked late in the match for a tackle on Tommy Henderson.
Fighting on the terraces behind the Yeovil goal was a senseless exhibition and the police were congratulated on the way they quickly brought it under control.
One of Yeovil’s heroes in the first-half, when the Terras held a definite edge, was goalkeeper Brian Parker. He defied the Terras with a series of fine saves and it was mainly because of him that Yeovil went in at the interval with the scores level at 1-1.
Booster
The Terras has shown some of their best form in sweeping into relentless attack, no doubt encouraged by a shock opening goal from Andy Leitch in the first minute.
Leitch had kept cool to take a pass from Henderson and lob the ball over Parker’s head.
Three times, Parker did well to make diving saves from Kevin Dove (twice) and Leitch. But Yeovil hit back to draw level in the 25th minute through Terry Cotton, who followed up to take full advantage of some great work by £4,000 signing Dave Platt, which left the home defence wide open.
The second-half became a tremendous struggle, with Yeovil going ahead through Flay’s 20-yarder, and Weymouth drawing level through Barry Lowe, who got into the goalmouth to slide the ball home and earn just reward for his fine play down the left flank.
But then Platt pounced to score from Morrall’s cross, after Livsey had only partially cleared in the air at the far post, and Yeovil might have gone 4-2 up immediately afterwards had Platt not driven carelessly wide from eight yards to record the miss of the match.
Thus reprieved, Weymouth came back to draw level through Henderson, who snapped up his chance following a headed pass from Leitch.
All four of these goals had come in a period of all-out attack from both teams between the 57th and 65th minutes.
But there was no let-up over the final 25 minutes of this all-action derby in which Weymouth had the ball in the back of the net on three other occasions and Yeovil once. But each time the referee ruled that there had been an infringement.
Weymouth: Livsey, Lawrence, Richards, Dyer, Durkin, Iannonne, McCafferty, Henderson, Leitch, Dove, Hawkins.
Sub: Courtney
Attendance: 1,933