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Great Privett point for Terras
THE Terras continued their excellent away form by capturing a hard-fought point at Privett Park.
With Gosport boasting a 14-game unbeaten run ahead of kick-off, this was always going to be a tough task for Weymouth but they rose to the challenge and could have even nicked a victory. Nevertheless this was still a fine result for Brendon King’s men, who have now picked up 16 points from their last seven matches on the road – an incredible run for a side that only managed four wins and four draws on their travels in the league during the whole of last season.
With Mark Ford sidelined with a hand injury, Craig Duff moved up front alongside Ben Joyce for the Terras, which left just three men on the bench in Jamie Skinner, Lewis Clarke and Matt Groves.
As for Gosport, they included Jamie Brown in their line-up – a player King tried to take to the Bob Lucas Stadium back in the summer.
The hosts were without star striker Justin Bennett though. The 30-year-old, who has netted 17 league goals already this season, is currently away on honeymoon.
Having not lost since early November, it was no surprise to see the Hampshire out- fit make the brighter start with Brown firing narrowly wide after just 12 minutes.
However the Terras were holding their own, and mom-ents later they went close themselves when Duff sent a header just off target following a fine cross from Dan Smith.
Stephen Reed then fired wide from a free-kick for Weymouth before a fine intervention from Ed Palmer and a decent save from Simon Evans thwarted the home side’s advances at the other end.
With 10 minutes of the half remaining, Gosport then tried to increase the pressure, which saw visiting defenders Palmer and Ashley Wells both enter the book, but Weymouth continued to stand strong.
In fact, the Terras would have gone into the break in front had home keeper Nathan Ashmore not pulled off a great save to deny Joyce on 43 minutes.
The tight nature of the contest continued into the second half with the next meaningful attempt not arriving until the 74th minute when Evans dived low to keep out a fine drive from Brown.
Ashmore then did well to hold another effort from Joyce with Smith closing in, but just when it looked like the game might spring into life, both sides reined themselves back in and settled for a point apiece during an uneventful final 10 minutes.
