|
|
|
Weymouth off and running after they hit Rovers for four
WEYMOUTH got their league campaign off and running at home with a well-deserved 4-1 victory against Paulton Rovers at the Bob Lucas Stadium.
Jason Matthews’ charges, bitterly disappointed by their 1-0 defeat at Cambridge City on the opening day, showed their character to bounce back from an early setback and then run riot in the second period.
Big news from the Terras’ team sheet came as Chris McPhee was left out of the entire squad due to personal reasons but midfielder Mark Molesley was still fit enough for a place on the bench. Josh Grant had still not received international clearance.
In the starting XI, Jordan Copp was promoted into Matthews’ line-up in place of assistant-manager Tim Sills, who was named among the substitutes.
But, in Weymouth’s first home league outing of the campaign, it was the visitors who started the brighter of the two sides.
Midfielder Darren Mullings showed some trickery on the edge of the Terras’ box and hit a right-footed strike, which deflected dangerously for a corner.
A neat delivery found Paulton’s Sam Teale, who was left with enough room to scoop the ball into the roof of the Weymouth net past Matthews. He did all he could sprawling to his left hand side.
Looking for an almost instant reply, Weymouth’s Adam Kelly gave himself space from 25-yards out, but hit a stinging effort wide of the left hand post.
Dean Evans, facing up against his former club, then headed into the arms of Rovers’ keeper Ben John and George Rigg sent an effort fizzing over the top as the home side looked to stamp their authority on the clash.
But a big switch of play on the counter almost caught Matthews’ men out. Paulton’s Ben Bament burst down the right flank but failed to hit the target.
Copp’s dangerous delivery from a free-kick was then scrambled away in a moment of panic for the away defence and, minutes later, defender Pat Baldwin picked up the game’s first caution.
As the Terras continued to see the vast majority of possession, they were denied after huge shouts for a penalty.
With the ball played into the Rovers’ box, Terras’ skipper Stewart Yetton’s flick fell into the path of Kelly, who was fuming when his cries for a spot-kick were waved away by referee Marc Whaley.
But moments later, the Weymouth pair combined in reverse to level things up on 43 minutes.
A slick move down the left saw Kelly cut back for Yetton, who showed great desire to stab home from inside the area to get his league tally off the mark.
Following the break, Kelly took another tumble inside the box.
But with Whaley not interested once more, this time the midfielder was left to beat the ground in frustration.
Weymouth were then given a warning as Paulton worked the ball well on the counter once more. And Bament came within inches of making it 2-1 as his low effort clipped the upright and fell to safety.
Then, after being turned down twice already, Kelly was adjudged on this occasion to have been brought down inside the area.
After Yetton saw his effort saved against Cambridge on Saturday, up stepped Copp to calmly slot home from the spot on the hour mark.
Terras’ fans were then given a sense of déjà vu just four minutes later, as the exact same sequence then occurred to extend their advantage.
Kelly went down once again under a challenge of a defender on the right, official Whaley pointed to the spot, and Copp, once again, made no mistake.
Copp was then replaced by Molesley, and Yetton headed just wide in search of his second of the evening.
A big break in play then ensued as George Rigg received treatment after taking a knock to his back, he was forced into being replaced by Conor Jevon.
And to sum up what was a positive opening home bow for Weymouth, they earned a slice of luck when Molesley’s strike from distance took a wicked deflection leaving goalkeeper John helpless as he was beaten for a fourth time.
