Worthing 1-3 Weymouth: In-form Terras control Worthing

Colbran 5

WEYMOUTH 3

Ash 30 pen, Matsuzaka 58, Rose 83

WONDERFUL Weymouth beat Worthing 3-1 at the Crucial Environmental Stadium with a dominant display to jump to 21st in the Vanarama National League South.

Going five league games unbeaten in the process, the Terras are building up a head of steam with 13 points from 15 to go top of the form table.

They had to come from behind after Joel Colbran’s early volley, but Weymouth soon found their stride as Brad Ash converted a penalty given for handball.

And second-half strikes from Dan Matsuzaka and Ahkeem Rose among a catalogue of chances, including hitting the post twice, gave Weymouth a deserved three points.

READ MORE: Worthing 1-3 Weymouth - how it happened

Unsurprisingly, Weymouth were unchanged from Saturday's 5-0 win at Tonbridge.

The Terras also named a full matchday 16, a rare sight in recent weeks amid their injury and illness dilemma.

Midfielders Matt Buse and Michael Dome-Bemwin, goalkeeping coach Jason Matthews and striker Josh Oyinsan kept their places on the bench.

They were joined in the dugout by new centre-back Charlie Rowan, who was announced five hours before kick-off after joining from Oxford City in a one-month loan deal.

Weymouth began the day looking to go five games unbeaten but their copybook was blotted as early as the fifth minute.

Worthing right-back Joel Colbran reacted quickest to a bouncing ball across the area and thumped a volley past Zaki Oualah for 1-0.

Joel Colbran volleyed Worthing ahead (Image: MARK PROBIN)

It was the first goal Weymouth had conceded in 261 minutes of football but the visitors responded as Xander McBurnie and Tom Blair crosses caused trouble for the Reds’ defence.

David Sesay was the next Weymouth player to beat everyone with a cross as the Terras’ end product deserted them.

Worthing’s next chance came from a Sesay foul but Colbran’s header cleared the bar from the free-kick.

However, Weymouth continued to come forward and got their reward with a penalty when Scott Rees’ shot was adjudged to have been handled by Luca Cocoracchio.

Up stepped Ash and he picked his spot in the bottom-right corner, sending Male the wrong way for his 13th goal of the season.

Brad Ash scored his fourth goal in two games (Image: MARK PROBIN)

Weymouth were in the ascendancy for the remainder of the half but despite winning a string of corners could only engineer a blocked McBurnie shot before the break.

Worthing began the second half as they started the first, on the attack after Sesay’s block conceded a corner. As the delivery came in, Joe Rye was there to blaze a volley well over.

It did not take Weymouth long to regain the initiative, though.

O’Connell fired wide after cutting in from the left and the Terras hit the post on 54 minutes.

The chance fell to Rose who created the opening with a gorgeous first touch, then slamming against the post with Male beaten.

When Weymouth did score their second goal on 58 minutes, few could argue it had not been coming.

Rees set O’Connell away and his cross was fired at Male by Ash, the keeper making a great save but only pushing it as far Matsuzaka who prodded home for 2-1.

Dan Matsuzaka, right, prodded home for 2-1 (Image: MARK PROBIN)

Weymouth’s appetite proved far greater than Worthing’s as the Terras raided forward, O’Connell smashing wide and Ash then repelled by Male.

Male was tested twice more as Sesay ran from inside his own half, forcing the keeper into a brilliant save with a 20-yard stinger.

Nathan Carlyle then worked Male with a header from a corner and even three Worthing changes in four minutes could not stem the Weymouth tide.

Male tipped an Ash shot round the post and although O’Connell’s corner was cleared, Rose flicked up and volleyed over the near post.

For all Weymouth’s dominance they needed a third goal to make good on their superiority.

They were given a shot in the arm when Callum Kealy tested Zaki Oualah from close range as the Reds chased a previously improbable equaliser.

Shortly afterwards a nervy mis-kick in the Worthing defence allowed Rose to fire a deflected shot.

Weymouth were in Worthing’s faces and Ash nearly scored a memorable goal of his own making, flicking the ball up and crashing a shot against the post.

Seconds later Blair was through, his shot deflecting for a corner which led to Weymouth’s third as Rose powered home a header from O’Connell’s delivery, giving Weymouth breathing space they fully deserved.

Ahkeem Rose, front, celebrates scoring Weymouth's third goal (Image: MARK PROBIN)

Weymouth survived a scare of their own when Worthing failed to take advantage of a goalmouth scramble but the Terras then managed the game to inflict Worthing’s third straight home loss.

Worthing: Male, Colbran, Cocoracchio, Rye (Bowry 74), Beresford, Wills, McLeod (Splatt 71), Parsons (Akanbi 70), Chambers, Pearce, Kealy. Subs not used: Meekums, Honore.

Terras: Oualah, McBurnie, Bearwish, Matsuzaka, Carlyle, O'Connell, Sesay, Rose, Ash, Rees (Buse 89), Blair. Subs not used: Matthews, Rowan, Oyinsan, Dome-Bemwin.

Referee: Abigail Byrne

Attendance: 407