Clinical Weymouth take a big victory at Frome

FROME TOWN 0

WEYMOUTH 2

Goodship 39, Wakefield 83

GOALS from Brandon Goodship and Josh Wakefield sealed a clinical 2-0 victory at Frome Town in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier South.

A goal in each half, the first from Goodship, the second from Wakefield, saw Weymouth pick up the victory that puts them a point behind league leaders Taunton Town with a game in hand.

Jordan Ngalo came in for Callum Buckley, while Josh Wakefield replaced Cameron Murray in two changes for Weymouth.

The Terras found Frome in inspired form initially, and the home side had the better of the opening stages at Badgers Hill.

Firstly, Frome debutant Troy Simpson found himself free inside the area after some good build-up play from the home side but he saw his effort trickle past the post.

Goodship, celebrating his first match since his England C call-up, then turned and shot narrowly wide as Weymouth looked to ease the early pressure.

However, back came Frome and after 16 minutes, they had another chance.

This time it was through Ryan Bath, who shot just over the crossbar for the Robins.

In a scrappy start, the game then had to be stopped due to an injury to one of the Robins.

Play soon resumed and Weymouth began having more fortune.

A great ball from Goodship then found Abdulai Baggie out wide, but his cross in evaded everyone and the home side were able to release the pressure.

Frome were able to craft chances of their own, and Kris Miller made sure Weymouth goalkeeper Tom McHale was alert with a drive from distance that was well-claimed by the Terras’ stopper.

Yet man of the moment Goodship would prove the difference in the first half.

It came late on, after a scrappy opening saw the two sides unable to craft an advantage over each other.

After 39 minutes, Goodship rolled a well-placed free-kick into the bottom corner to hand his side a vital lead.

There were three minutes of added on time at the end of the half, but Weymouth were able to keep hold of their lead at the break.

The second half was largely uneventful for the first quarter of an hour, with Weymouth content with their lead.

Yemi Odubade saw a shot blocked before a stoppage in play due to a knock to a Frome player.

The home side then attempted to shuffle the pack, with a double change, but found no immediate relief.

Ex-Frome player Ben Thomson then headed wide from a corner after 72 minutes.

The Terras then made their first change of the afternoon, as Buckley came on for Baggie after 73 minutes.

The half came to life late on however.

Firstly McHale and Stephane Zubar had to be alert to snuff out two chances in quick succession for the Robins.

Yet it would be the Terras who would next score, when Goodship took off on a brilliant run forward, playing a ball to Wakefield who smashed it into the top corner to surely wrap up the match for the Terras.

A late knock to substitute Ashley Wells saw the game held up late on after a poor challenge.

However, Weymouth coasted to the end of a big victory in terms of the title race, with rivals Taunton Town losing.

Their win, the Terras’ fourth in a row, puts Weymouth back in the driving seat for their title bid and now sitting a point behind the Peacocks with a game in hand.

Weymouth travel to Poole for the Dorset Senior Cup semi-final on Tuesday (7.30pm).

Terras: McHale, Brooks, Ngalo, Sherring, Zubar, McCarthy, Odubade (Wells 77), Wakefield, Thomson, Goodship (Carmichael 86), Baggie (Buckley 73)

Subs not used: Childs, Murray

Frome: Brown, Miller, Scott, Mehew, Roberts, Teale, Monks (Mannings 65), Knowles (Whitley 65), Bath, Norris, Simpson.

Subs not used: Crabtree, Fletcher, Gorman.

Attendance: 403