Ben Thomson strikes late to stun Salisbury in thriller
WEYMOUTH 2
Goodship 49 pen, Thomson 87
SALISBURY 1
Dawson 22
WEYMOUTH returned to the summit of the table with a thrilling 2-1 comeback victory over rivals Salisbury at home in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier South.
Goals from Brandon Goodship and Ben Thomson saw the Terras recover from an early Aaron Dawson goal, as the visitors initially went ahead after Terras’ goalkeeper Jordan Seabright came off injured to be replaced by Lloyd Thomas.
Weymouth made two changes, with Jake McCarthy and Abdulai Baggie coming in for Jordan Rose and Jordan Ngalo.
The match was finely set-up, with Weymouth having gone over a year since last losing at home in the league, while Salisbury were on a 12-match winning run in all competitions.
Salisbury started with a tame attack, through Bay Downing, but his shot was well wide.
Baggie then broke down the right, and saw a deflected cross arrive to McCarthy outside the box, who stung the palms of Salisbury goalkeeper Jake Hallett who had to get down low to save.
The game was then abruptly halted when Seabright collected at the feet of Zachariah Kotwica and became injured.
After a lengthy stoppage Seabright was stretchered off the pitch and replaced by Thomas for his league debut.
Things got worse for Weymouth as straight from the restart Dawson turned and fired past Thomas to put the Whites 1-0 up.
Weymouth tried to retaliate via a free-kick swung in but attempted shots were blocked away.
The Whites should have doubled their lead,when Downing put a cross up to Kotwica who headed over from four yards out.
Salisbury were on top, with the home side seemingly rattled by the injury and goal but Weymouth nevertheless held their fort against the Whites.
Weymouth found a new lease of life when Baggie closed down Salisbury well and began a brief move that earned a corner.
From the second corner, an elaborate set-play routine was snuffed out by the visitors.
However, this signalled the start of a revival from the home side and moments later Goodship curled in a ball seemingly destined for the top corner, before Hallett stretched out a hand to superbly tip it over the bar.
The half ended dramatically when the visitors’ Elliot Wheeler thought he had bundled the ball over the line from a corner.
However, Weymouth then countered and a shot came in from the edge of the box which cannoned off the bar and into the path of Goodship who fired home, yet the offside flag was up.
The two sides went into the break with the game finely poised, but Weymouth only needed four minutes of the second half to draw level.
A great ball from Goodship played in Thomson who fired over the bar but went down under a challenge in the box.
Subsequently, Goodship fired the penalty into the bottom-left past Hallett who dived the wrong way.
The game had not lost an ounce of intensity as Salisbury attempted to find their way back to being a more dominant force but to little avail.
The game was opening up, a strike from Thomas Whelan was straight at the palms of Thomas, while Weymouth were threatening on the break.
However, the Terras were getting closer.
Firstly, Thomson put in a great ball across the box close to the goalline that no one could get on the end of.
Then Baggie swung in a ball that had to be cleared with Thomson narrowly unable to connect with.
Again, Weymouth were knocking on the door and a scramble close to the Salisbury goalline ended with a shot bouncing over the bar for the Terras.
Salisbury had possession in the lattter stages and while looking dangerous, could not craft a clear-cut chance.
Yet Weymouth found a way after 87 minutes when a counter attack saw Thomson break away and fire at the onrushing Hallett, with the ball then bouncing over the goalkeeper and into the net for a crucial victory, sparking jubilant scenes at the Bob Lucas Stadium.
Weymouth host St Albans City in the FA Trophy third qualifying round on Saturday (3pm).
Terras: Seabright (Thomas 21), Brooks, Buckley, Zubar, Sherring, Carmichael (Ngalo 82), Wakefield, McCarthy, Thomson, Goodship (Rose 90), Baggie. Subs not used: Sa, Baker.
Salisbury: Hallett, Downing (Hopper 90), Wheeler, Whelan, Partridge, Wannell, Benson, Dawson, Kotwica (Fitchett 70), Shephard (Mullings 73), Haysham-Membrillera. Subs not used: Hopper, Sommerton, Hillson.
Attendance: 1006
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