Weymouth 0-3 Chelmsford City: Terras well beaten by Clarets

CHELMSFORD CITY 3

Hockey 31, Barnum-Bobb 75, Jones 90+2 pen

FRUSTRATED Weymouth were defeated 3-0 at home as Chelmsford City underlined their promotion credentials with an impressive National League South win.

Freddie Hockey fired home a first-half opener after Brandon Goodship hit the post for Weymouth.

Second-half goals for Jazzi Barnum-Bobb and Callum Jones came either side of Charlie Ruff’s missed penalty, a by-product of which saw Anthony Cheshire earn a second yellow card.

Weymouth felt numerous decisions went against them but they must now lick their wounds quickly before facing Worthing on Monday.

READ MORE: Weymouth 0-3 Chelmsford City - how it happened

Weymouth boss Bobby Wilkinson made one change to his starting line-up, bringing in Teddy Howe for David Sesay in a straight swap at full-back.

There were two changes on the bench, with right-back Calvin Brooks shaking off a calf injury and striker Ben Thomson making his first squad appearance of the season.

They came in at the expense of Norman Wabo (food poisoning) and Sesay, with Frankie Monk, Scott Rees and Tommy Stagg Weymouth’s other options.

Chelmsford are seemingly perennial play-off contenders and the Clarets gave an immediate example of their threat when Callum Watts headed at Gerard Benfield on 31 seconds.

Weymouth had their first shot on target in the eighth minute when Leo Hamblin won a corner and Anthony Cheshire nodded Joel Rollinson’s delivery at keeper Josh Oluwayemi, who was patrolling the back post.

City then broke away and Ruff stroked an on-the-run volley just over having darted across the Terras’ defence.

Weymouth went closer still when Luke Jenkins, on loan at the Terras last season, was booked for a foul on Tom Bearwish, allowing Goodship to fire through the wall and hit the post with Oluwayemi unmoved.

At the other end, Mo Bettamer curled a free-kick wide after Josh McQuoid was booked for a clumsy foul on Jermaine Francis.

Weymouth’s Dan Roberts then missed a great chance to power in a first-time cross and saw the attack wiped out, although when presented with their next crossing opportunity, Keelan O’Connell got too much on his delivery for Roberts.

Seconds later, City took the lead with a well-worked goal.

Intricate build-up play allowed Watts to cushion the ball into Hockey’s path and the forward sent a clever reversed shot into the bottom-right corner for 1-0.

Freddie Hockey, out of shot, put City 1-0 up (Image: MARK PROBIN)

Weymouth should have levelled on 39 minutes, though.

McQuoid’s delightful crossfield pass set O’Connell away and his ball inside fed Roberts, who held the ball up and found Bearwish, the Terras’ captain denied superbly by Oluwayemi.

Charlie Rowan nodded Rollinson’s corner well over but Weymouth fashioned another chance before the break, O’Connell finding Roberts with time to shoot, only for the striker to rush and scuff his left-footed shot from 15 yards.

After the break, City carved out two chances for Ruff, Ben Brookes’ clever inside ball enabling him to rifle wide and then the two combining again when Ruff headed at Benfield from a corner.

Weymouth sent a headed chance of their own at the keeper following a corner on 54 minutes, Rowan picking out Oluwayemi from Rollinson’s delivery.

City still retained a big threat on the left through Brookes and his latest cross invited Barnum-Bobb to volley at Benfield, the keeper doing well to push his effort onto the post and clutch the rebound.

Wilkinson by now had seen enough and made a triple sub, bringing on Thomson, Monk and Stagg for Goodship, Rollinson and Roberts.

Ben Thomson made his first Weymouth appearance of the season (Image: MARK PROBIN)

The changes did little to unhinge the City defence, and instead it was their own alteration which made the biggest difference.

Dabre, on for Hockey, fired across goal and Benfield reacted well to push clear his effort, only for Barnum-Bobb to show more desire than Weymouth’s defence, poking home from six yards having made considerable ground to get there.

Weymouth teetered on the edge of conceding more when Benfield somehow kept out a cross on the goal line with Ruff loitering.

He then had to save Ruff’s 81st-minute penalty, diving to his left to keep the forward out yet again after Cheshire’s rash sliding tackle in the area.

Weymouth were caught offside three times in the latter stages, pushing upfield, while Benfield had to deny Ruff yet again, the forward’s attempted chip too close to the keeper.

Benfield performed heroics again to deny Francis after sub Jones’ deft flicked cross, but Weymouth were 3-0 down and a man down shortly after.

As the corner came in, Cheshire was shown a second yellow for a shirt pull on Jenkins and Jones tucked the spot-kick away into the bottom-left corner.

Anthony Cheshire saw red and conceded two penalties (Image: MARK PROBIN)

Nine minutes of added time failed to produce another chance for Weymouth, who were soundly beaten in front of their home fans by a high-quality City outfit.

Terras: Benfield, Howe, Hamblin, Cheshire, Rowan, McQuoid, Bearwish, O'Connell, Roberts (Thomson 62), Goodship (Stagg 62), Rollinson (Monk 62). Subs not used: C Brooks, Rees.

Chelmsford: Brookes, Winfield (Carruthers 76), Ebuzoeme, Bettamer (Jones 76), Jenkins, Oluwayemi, Francis, Ruff, Barnum-Bobb, Watts, Hockey (Dabre 65). Subs not used: Marsden, Mills.

Referee: Sam Reed.

Attendance: 1,110