Terras battle to three points against Puritans

BANBURY UNITED 1

Winters 44

WEYMOUTH 2

Baker 4, 57

TWO Harry Baker goals and a late Mark Travers save helped Weymouth to a superb 2-1 away win at Banbury United.

An early goal seemed to get the Terras off to a flying start. Calvin Brooks found space out wide after being picked out by Charlie Davis, Brooks then fizzed in a low delivery towards Baker who slotted it beyond the Jack Harding in the Banbury goal.

10 minutes later, the visitors had a chance to double their lead; top-scorer Brandon Goodship found space on the wide right angle and shot into the side netting of the Banbury goal, much to the relief of the home crowd.

Weymouth looked to be in control but suddenly the hosts got themselves into gear and a long range shot from Elliot Sandy, forced Mark Travers into a superb save.

Moments later, Tom Winters found space out wide and his fizzing shot was deflected in off of the unfortunate Callum Buckley and it was 1-1 at the half time break.

The second half began with the home team seemingly in the ascendancy and Conor McDonagh tried his luck from distance but the ball trickled harmlessly past Travers’ post.

Abdulai Baggie, who was threatening the Banbury back line throughout the contest, went on a long run from his own half and eventually played in an inch perfect through ball to Ben Thomson and the Weymouth front man found his strike partner Baker, who poked home into an empty net, he gave the Terras a priceless lead.

In the 63rd minute, the ex Poole Town winger Baggie sent a powerful drive towards goal but Harding was there to make the save.

Banbury started throwing caution to the wind and on 73 minutes they went close. A cross swung in by Ricky Johnson caused utter mayhem in the Weymouth box but somehow, the ball was cleared away by Tiago Sa.

The Terras looked dangerous on the break and it was Thomson who put in a cross as he ran towards the byline, it looked like it was to land on the head of substitute Josh Wakefield but the home defenders managed to wrestle the ball away.

Into the final 5 minutes and the Puritans, as expected, continued to try and force the equaliser. In added time, a goal-bound shot came in from the edge of the Weymouth area but Stéphane Zubar was in the right place at the right time to clear the ball off the line, despite cheers from the home fans who desperately claimed the ball had crossed the line.

In the dying seconds of the game, Mark Travers made an unbelievable point blank save to deny Banbury’s Leam Howard’s, who ran clean through on goal and much to the amazement of everyone his shot was saved.

A fantastic three points for the third placed Terras who continue to impress in the Southern League.

Banbury: Harding, Hawtin, Felix, Nash, Bradbury, Carnell, Pond, Sandy (Humphreys 64), Johnson, McDonagh (Howards 73), Winters

Unused Subs: Ngathe, Peake-Pijnen, MacDonald

Terras: Travers, Brooks, Sa, Zubar, Buckley, Carmichael, Davis, Thomson, Baker, Goodship (Wakefield 60), Baggie (Wells 89)

Unused Subs: Harvey, Rodriguez, Stewart

Attendance: 377

Referee: Richard Gardener