WORTHING 2

Fish 30, Aguiar 60 pen

WEYMOUTH 0

SPIRITED Weymouth fought hard against leaders Worthing but ultimately fell to a 2-0 loss in their Vanarama National League South clash.

Sonny Fish’s turn and shot put Worthing ahead in the first half before Ricky Aguiar’s penalty doubled their lead.

Weymouth far from folded, Leo Hamblin and Norman Wabo going close before Teddy Howe’s red card for dissent.

Weymouth made four changes to the side that began the 3-0 loss to Chelmsford on Saturday.

READ MORE: Worthing 2-0 Weymouth - how it happened

Calvin Brooks, David Sesay, Scott Rees and Tommy Stagg all came into the side.

They replaced Dan Roberts, Brandon Goodship and Charlie Rowan, while Hamblin dropped to the bench.

Weymouth only named four substitutes, one of which was goalkeeping coach Jason Matthews. Frankie Monk and Wabo were Weymouth's other options from the dugout.

Nahum Melvin-Lambert has food poisoning, Jordon Thompson is still out with a hamstring injury and Max Hemmings is a long-term absentee with a knee problem.

Tyrique Clarke (hamstring) remains a month away after a setback, while there was no place in the squad for Ben Thomson.

Worthing were looking for a fifth win in six games, to illustrate why some have tipped them for the title, and began with intent when Reece Meekums worked Gerard Benfield early on.

Weymouth came back into it as Teddy Howe got to the byline only for Worthing to clear his cross, before Tom Bearwish blasted the Terras’ first shot over following a three-on-three break.

There was major concern for Benfield on 14 minutes when he needed a two-minute treatment break but to Weymouth’s, and Matthews’, relief he was fine to continue.

Worthing looked to hit the target in almost every attack as Odei Sorondo forced Benfield into a good save and Joe Rye’s header from the corner caused no alarm.

Weymouth, meanwhile, had to contend with knocks for Rees and Sesay, both of whom played on despite Hamblin being readied to replace the latter.

However, Worthing punished a misjudgement at the back to take the lead on 30 minutes.

Fish nipped in to beat Benfield to a pass and despite being ushered away from goal the Crawley loanee turned and powered home for 1-0.

On 32 minutes, Fish nearly made it 2-0, again from a Weymouth error, as he raced onto Brooks’ header and rifled inches over.

Weymouth reacted to those chances by enjoying a good spell before half-time, Stagg firing over on the break and Bearwish then halted in motion by the offside flag.

Bearwish had a shot blocked after receiving a clever pass from Rees and the Terras later mounted heavy pressure with three corners, although the Reds’ defence held firm.

Joel Rollinson found an offside Josh McQuoid at the near post but Worthing stemmed the flow of Weymouth pressure with a flurry of shots before the break.

Fish hammered over, before both Meekums and Aguiar tested Benfield in a frantic finish to the half.

Bearwish got in behind early in the second half with little luck, and the Terras’ injury problems mounted when a limping Rees was taken off in the 50th minute for Monk.

Worthing reacted by bringing off Michael Klass for Greg Luer but instead it was Aguiar who made the desired impact on the hour mark.

Weymouth reached for Wabo and Hamblin for Stagg and Rollinson seconds later and Wabo was almost immediately into the action as his header was denied by home keeper Rocco Rees.

Rees was then on top form to deny Hamblin, who looked destined to score until the keeper diverted his effort wide using his left paw.

At the other end, Benfield produced an agile save of his own to keeper out Aguiar, before Worthing made two changes, bringing off Fish and Mike Wheeler for ex-Terras winger Joan Luque and Kane Wills respectively.

Howe tried his luck from range with no success before on 83 minutes he received a second yellow card for dissent, referee Harry Wager wasting no time in brandishing red.

Weymouth already had a mountain to climb but to their credit they plugged away in the closing stages, although it was not enough to score a consolation.

Worthing: R Rees, Colbran, Racine, Rye, Felix, Wheeler (Luque 73), Klass (Luer 56), Odei, Aguiar, Meekums, Fish (Wills 77). Subs not used: Vincent, Chadwick.

Terras: Benfield, Howe, Cheshire, Brooks, Sesay, O'Connell, McQuoid, Bearwish, S Rees (Monk 50), Rollinson, Stagg (Hamblin 61). Sub not used: Matthews. 

Referee: Harry Wager

Attendance: 1,614