Josh Wakefield and Harry Baker goals defeat Waders

WEYMOUTH secured a superb 2-0 win at home to Biggleswade Town thanks to goals from Josh Wakefield and Harry Baker, lifting them up to second in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division.

The strikes came in the form of a superb curling shot from Wakefield in the 33rd-minute and a volley from Baker in the 67th.

Captain Jake McCarthy missed the match after being admitted to hospital with appendicitis while Calvin Brooks and Ashley Wells were absent due to injury.

Weymouth announced before the match that centre-back Stephane Zubar had re-signed for the club and he went straight into the Terras’ starting line-up, having suffered a knee injury following his move to rivals Yeovil.

 

The Terras made three changes as Zubar, Baker and Tiago Sa came back into the side for Toby Down, Charlie Seaman and McCarthy.

Mark Molesley’s men also saw the return of leading goalscorer Brandon Goodship, who started the match on the bench joined by James Hayter..

Charlie Davis had the first real chance for the Terras as he got past Liam Gooch but he couldn’t keep the ball in from a very narrow angle.

New signing Zubar took little time to get involved in the action, first stopping an attack from Lucas Perry before an attempted chipped ball could only find the keeper.

 

A dangerous-looking ball into the box from the Waders was cleared while the resulting counter-attack from the Terras was stalled when the ball went out for a throw in near the centre circle.

The Terras had a superb chance a minute later when a ball from Sa found Abdulai Baggie, who charged into the box but his cutback was intercepted by the Waders’ defence.

Weymouth were enjoying a good attacking spell, showing nice touches as Zubar recycled the ball from a Biggleswade attack.

They nearly opened the scoring when Davis fed Baker who from the corner of the box had a chipped shot that hit the bar.

Josh Carmichael then had a whipped shot from outside the box that had Gooch scrambling but the ball went wide.

 

Shortly after, Baggie found a great cross that forced Reece Fielding to clear but the ball found its way back to Carmichael who, from outside the box, fired a shot straight at the keeper.

Goalkeeper Mark Travers prompted concern after he fell in the box trying to collect the ball but fortunately Davis was on hand to clear and after a brief break Travers continued.

A Baggie cross into the box then prompted a scramble as three shots from the Terras failed to find the target, the away defence eventually clearing their lines.

Weymouth deservedly broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute following a clearance with Wakefield’s wonderful curling half-volley from 25 yards out.

Biggleswade nearly levelled two minutes later as Robbie Parker fired towards the top corner, but a superb one-handed save from Travers kept the Terras in front.

Five minutes later Baggie nearly extended the lead after Ben Thomson laid the ball to him just inside the box, but his powerful shot went wide of the far post.

A late free-kick was given to the Waders after Zubar conceded a foul but the chance was wasted as the game petered out to half-time.

A quiet start to the second half saw good defensive work from Mark Cooper while a cross from Carmichael went straight at the keeper.

The Terras had a great chance in the 53rd minute as Baker ran down the wing and crossed back to Cooper who was waiting in the box, but his shot drifted wide.

Biggleswade soon forced a great save from Travers who had to dive to his left to push a shot from Nathan Hicks round the post.

 

But the hosts extended their lead after Baggie took a shot and the save fell to Baker, whose volley from a tight angle looped into the net in the 67th minute.

Weymouth’s top scorer Goodship returned as he came on for Baggie in the 75th minute and fired a shot straight at the keeper late on.

A late flurry from Town forced Travers into some good late saves as the match wound down, but Weymouth kept the Waders out to secure the 2-0 win.

Terras: Travers, Cooper, Sa, Zubar (Down 78), Buckley, Carmichael, Davis, Wakefield (Hayter 67), Baker, Thomson, Baggie (Goodship 75). Subs not used: Down, Boore, S Stewart.

Biggleswade Town: Gooch, Walker, Perry, Fielding, Hicks, Hoyte, Kaziboni (Bailey 15), Hall, Bowen, Parker, Penfold (Brooks 82). Subs not used: Brooks, Hill, Alexandrou.

Attendance: 530