Weymouth have moved to within three points of the summit of the Southern Premier League with up to seven games in hand on some of their rivals, after they blew Biggleswade Town away with three goals in the opening half an hour on Saturday.
Clearly keen to get back on track after their FA Trophy exit, the Terras made a bright start, and took the lead just five minutes in when Adam Kelly put in a perfect cross which fell straight to the feet of Stewart Yetton, and he was never going to miss from barely three yards.
Weymouth were clearly in the mood for goals, and they doubled their lead just ten minutes later, and again Adam Kelly provided the assist. He picked the ball up on the left wing and he took about six Biggleswade players out of the game with a delightfull through ball into the feet of Steve Colwell, who had time to take a touch and pick his spot, before duly scoring his first goal for the Terras on home soil.
Weymouth were putting on a brilliant display of attacking football, and Weymouth had two great chances to make it 3-0 before the 20th minute when Jake Wannell headed just wide of the post, and Stewart Yetton was denied by a quite unbeleavable point-blank save from the Waders goalkeeper Ian Brown.
But in the 25th minute Weymouth did get their third. A terras free kick on the right wing was sent into the box. Biggleswade failed to clear their lines and there was a quick game of pinball in the six yard box, before eventually Calvin Brooks scrambled it home to notch his second goal in two home games.
The home crowd were lapping it up, and only a fantastic diving save from Ian Brown prevented the Terras from going 4-0 up.
But completely against the run of play, Biggleswade got themselves on the score sheet on 38 minutes through midfielder Lee Reed.
A long punt forwards was cleared only as far as Reed, who hit it first time into the top corner of the net from the edge of the D. An excellent strike which gave Biggleswade hope out of nowhere.
Still, Weymouth were well on top at the break, and they continued in the second half where they left off – creating chance after chance.
New signing Alec Fiddes was introduced to the action ten minutes into the second half, and he nearly scored with his first touch. There was another melee in the penalty area after the visitors failed to clear their lines, and the ball fell kindly to the new boy who saw his shot cleared off the line by a defender.
Weymouth were given a golden chance to put the game to bed when former Terras defender Gavin Hoyte hauled Adam Kelly down in the area, and the referee pointed to the spot. But Yetton went for power over placement, and he saw his effort crash back off the crossbar, much to the relief of goalkeeper Ian Brown – who proved a real hit with the home fans both for his heroics between the sticks, and his ability to have a good laugh with the crowd.
Still Weymouth continued to press, and Adam Kelly thought he’d added the fourth five minutes from time when he chipped it over the onrushing Brown, but somehow another former Terra in Cameron Mawer got back in time to hook the ball off the line. A few players and fans appealed that it had crossed the line, but the referee waved play on.
It looked like Weymouth were set to gain a comfortabke victory, but a second goal for the visitors a minute from time meant they were made to sweat for a few minutes.
With Weymouth continuing to push men forwards they were caught on the break, and Craig Daniels fired hard and low into the bottom corner to give the scoreline a somewhat flattering look from Biggleswade’s point of view.
There were no further chances and Weymouth celebrated another 3 points. How it was only 3-2 god only knows – Weymouth put on a terrific display of exciting, attacking football, and but for the heroics of Ian Brown and some last ditch defending, the Terras could have ended up with 6 or 7 goals.
But it’s the 3 points that count, and whilst they were celebrating another home win, news began to filter around the ground that Corby Town had scored a last gasp winner in the promotion six pointer with Poole Town.
After their injury time winner against Dunstable the previous Tuesday, it was Poole’s turn to be on the recieving end of a late sucker punch at Steel Park.
In an entertaining game, Poole started well, and came to within inches of taking an early lead when Michael Walker’s effort was deflected wide. It had the keeper wrong footed, and if it had had an inch or two to the right Poole would have taken the lead.
From the resulting corner Walker again came close, put his namesake Paul in the Corby goal pulled off a superb diving save to keep his side level.
Corby then won a corner of their own, and Edi Appleton would have been kicking himself for not at least finding the target when he put his free header wide of the post.
Into the second half, and both sides continuied to probe without really forcing any clear cut chances.
Greg Mills came close for the hosts when his surging run took him to the corner of the six yard box, but his effort was tipped over by Nick Hutchings.
Into injury time and the game looked set to end 0-0. Poole had one lost chance when Luke Burbrudge cut inside from the right and put an inviting ball into the box, but nobody got on the end of it. And from there, Poole were hit with a sucker punch.
Burbridge’s cross came to Wilson Carvhalo on the opposite side, and he set off on a powerfull surging run over the halfway line. He played the ball out wide to Tommy Wright in plenty of space, and Wright put an inviting ball into the box. Spencer Weir-Daley didn’t pick it up, but the ball fell perfectly for Cleveland Taylor on the edge of the six yard box to fire home into the bottom corner, and spark scenes of delerium among the home crowd.
Heartbreak for Poole in the 93rd minute, and that defeat knocked them off top spot, albeit only on goal difference, and they do have five games in hand over new leaders Redditch.
At the other end of the table, Dorchester Town also suffered late dissapointment as they went down 2-1 at Slough Town.
Slough started well and almost scored within the first minute, but Luke Knight’s effort from 25 yards flew just over the bar.
Knight came close again on 23 minutes when his volley from Sean Fraser’s cross came back off the post. But just two minutes later the Rebels did take the lead, and Knight was again in the thick of it.
His shot was blocked, but the ball fell to Ed Smith 15 yards out, who kept his composure to fire past Walker-Harris, and give the hosts a deserved lead.
But the Magpies responded in brilliant fashion, and they were back on level terms just seven minutes later thanks to Sam Lanahan.
It was a simple long ball into the Slough penalty area. The goalkeeper came for it, but Lanahan got there ahead of him and scored to make it 1-1.
The score stayed that way until the the 85th minute. Both sides creates a few chances in the second half, but just when it looked like Dorchester would take home a good away point – disaster.
Adrian Sear played a superb through ball into Johnnie Dyer, and he slotted it home to give the hosts all 3 points, and condem Dorchester to a fourth straight league defeat.
The defeat leaves Dorchester just one place and one point above the relegation zone, and they could be set to lose three points in the near future with Hereford United’s demise.
The Magpies now face back-to-back local derbies against Weymouth and Poole Town over the festive period.
Weymouth will travel to the Avenue Stadium on Boxing Day as heavy favourites in the Ridgeway Derby, but in derby games form tends to go out the window. Weymouth have not won away to Dorchester in the league since 1999, but this is as good a chance as they’ll ever get to put that right.
The Terras will then host Arlesey Town in a 3pm kick off on Sunday, and two wins against relegation strugglers could see them end the year top of the table.
Poole Town will travel to second bottom Frome on Boxing Day before they host Dorchester on New Years Day, so they will be expecting to get back to winning ways.
The Boxing Day Ridgeway Derby promises to be a real cracker though. Both sides generally score a lot of goals but also conceed a fair few, so a high scoring game wouldn’t surprise anybody.
I’d like to wish everybody a very happy Christmas, and hopefully we’ll see a bumper crowd at the Avenue on Boxing Day.
James Spring
