Weymouth made it back-to-back victories against Cambridgeshire opposition on Tuesday night with a 1-0 win over Cambridge City at a Baltic Bob Lucas Stadium.
Having hit struggling Histon for four at the weekend, the Terras made just one chenge with Mark Molesley missing out altogether, and Billy Lowes came into the starting XI.
City went into the clash in pretty poor form having suffered a 3-0 loss at Dorchester on Saturday, and they almost fell behind within two minutes of this one. Kelly and Shephard combined well, with the latter managing to skip away from his man before dragging his effort wide of the mark.
At the other end Lilywhites captain Buster Harradine tried his luck from range but his effort was comfortably gathered by Jason Matthews, for what proved to be a rare piece of action for the Terras keeper on the night.
The first twenty minutes were fairly even, but then the Terras stepped it up a gear.
Ashley Wells surged forward and was hauled down on the edge of the penalty area. Shephard’s free kick was beaten away by City goalkeeper Zac Barrett, and the keeper showed superb reactions to get across and block Adam Kelly’s follow-up effort. A stunning piece of goalkeeping, but the reprieve was to be short lived.
From the resulting corner Shephard played it short to Rigg who gave it back. Shephard sent a teasing ball into the middle of the area, and Dean Evans ghosted in unmarked to volley home into the top corner in stunning fashion to give the Terras a 24th minute lead.
On the half hour mark the Terras were inches away from making it 2-0, when another Shephard free-kick clipped the crossbar and bounced to safety.
Weymouth were well on top by now, and City were again indebted to goalkeeper Zac Barret for denying Evans his second of the night from a header at the back post, before Ben Thomson shot just over the bar on the stroke of half time. The visitors were no doubt relieved to get into the dressing room just one down.
The second half was in truth a bit of a slow burner. City began to see more of the ball but they were unable to create any real chances of note, as the Terras defence stood firm and looked fairly comfortable.
On 65 minutes the Terras came close to doubling their lead with their first effort of the second half, when Shephard ran onto Thomson’s flick-on, but his fierce drive was beaten away by Barret in goal.
A few minute later the hosts were convinced they should’ve had a penalty when George Rigg’s effort appeared to be blocked by a defenders hand on the line, but to the amazement of everybody nothing was given.
Five minutes from time Weymouth thought they had wrapped up the points when following another good save from Barret, George Rigg fired the rebound into the roof of the net, only for it to be chalked off for offside.
But it didn’t matter, as Weymouth played out the final minutes comfortably to secure back-to-back wins and go third in the table, nine points off leaders Poole.
In truth it was as comfortable a 1-0 victory as you could wish to see, with City offering very little in an attacking sense. They were certainly indebted to their goalkeeper for stopping it being 3 or 4-0.
Those back-to-back victories set up Saturday’s home clash with Kettering Town very nicely. The poppies sit 11th in the table, six points off the top five with games in hand, and they’re in good form with just one defeat in eight. It promises to be an intriguing contest!
Elsewhere, leaders Poole face a tricky trip to Merthyr Town where they went out of the FA Trophy earlier in the season, whilst Dorchester will look to continue their assault on the play-offs when they travel to Dunstable Town, who sit a point and a place above them in sixth place.
James Spring
