PORTLAND UNITED 1

Walbridge 45

WEYMOUTH 2

Trialist (#7) 2, Bearwish 4

WEYMOUTH dominated Portland United in their first pre-season friendly but could only win 2-1 against opponents ranked three division beneath them.

After a summer of uncertainty regarding player signings, Weymouth instantly reassured their fans of the hard work going on behind the scenes by performing on the Camp & Satherley Stadium pitch.

In a blistering start, the Terras went 2-0 up inside five minutes as the number seven trialist thundered a shot in off the bar from 20 yards following a good advantage played by referee Martin Underhay, who ignored calls for a penalty by the number ten trialist.

Weymouth then scored a goal made in Dorset as Tom Bearwish, returning to his old club, tucked home Tom Blair’s cross at the near post.

David Oldfield’s men looked extremely menacing in the opening ten minutes and could have made it 3-0 as Blair scored a header, ruled out for a push in Matt Harvey’s back.

Weymouth had started like a train and Blair was next to go close, weaving his way past two challenges and fizzing a shot at Mike Edgar, who did well to beat clear his stinging drive.

Portland were mere spectators until Ryan McKechnie shovelled over following a defensive mistake, and back came Weymouth as the impressive number 14 trialist’s deflected shot looped up for Edgar to gather at the second attempt.

New signing Luke Nippard fired wide midway through the half and Portland had justified cause to feel aggrieved after Oli Lowes’ deflected cross hit the side netting, only for a goal-kick to be given.

As the half endured, Portland settled and in the 32nd minute constructed their best move of the game, spraying the ball about from back to front.

McKechnie found Lowes on the left and the winger cut inside Nippard and curled high and wide, before Edgar blocked Bearwish at point-blank range from the very next attack.

Weymouth pushed for a third late in the half, Blair’s deflected free-kick winning a corner from which captain for the day and new signing Dan Matsuzaka headed at Edgar.

Weymouth’s 14 then showed a clever touch to make room for a shot, only to blast wide.

However, Portland had a sting in their tail on the stroke of 45 minutes when Harry Thomas won a free-kick on the right touchline.

Liam Sayers acrobatically fired at goal from the delivery and his blocked shot was then lashed home by Weymouth Under-23s striker Troy Walbridge for 2-1 at the break.

Weymouth made nine changes at the break, keeping only the number ten and 14 trialists, and had their own complaints against the officials when sub Brad Ash scored, only to be ruled offside – the Terras claiming Portland had touched the ball last.

Portland brought Lowes and Sayers off for Ben Morris and Greg Borthwick but Weymouth had the next chances, Ash forcing Edgar into a save from a free-kick and the sub number 17 rifling wide.

Weymouth’s sub number 15 hoisted an effort well over and Murray was introduced again having been subbed at half-time, only to be told he could not continue, leaving the Terras down to ten men.

Portland used all ten of their subs, only McKechnie playing 90 minutes, and the multitude of changes disrupted the flow of the game, with chances rarely seen in the second half.

Portland did work Weymouth sub keeper Tommy Scott into a save with a stinging Josh Leake shot, but that was as good as it got for the Blues. 

In the 87th minute, Weymouth were denied what looked a certain penalty when Ash was tripped in the box, only for the officials to wave play on.

However, the Terras were good value for the win, showing plenty of bright notes despite the narrow margin of victory.

Blues: Edgar (B Smith), Thomas (Diaz), Harvey, Stuttle (Mansley), Poole (Howell), Williams (Leake), Lowes (Morris), Clarke (Wilson), Walbridge (H Scott), McKechnie, Sayers (Borthwick, O Smith).

Terras: Bruton (T Scott), Nippard (Kyprianou), Trialist #3 (#17), Murray (McBurnie), Matsuzaka (Seddon), Ricketts (#6), Trialist #7 (#15), Trialist #14, Bearwish (Ash), Trialist #10 (#9), Blair (#16).