Weymouth 2-4 Hampton & Richmond: Terras concerned by defence

The Terras initially fought back superbly to lead 2-1 after Isaac Pitblado’s penalty, Malachi Linton and Tom Bearwish scoring magnificent goals.

However, the mood around the Bob Lucas Stadium took a nosedive when woeful marking from two identical corners allowed centre-back Luis Fernandez two free headers for 3-2 before half-time.

Given 45 minutes to rescue the match, Weymouth were subdued and did not conjure a shot on target in the second half.

READ MORE: Weymouth 2-4 Hampton & Richmond - report

Instead, Josh Anifowose put the game to bed, waltzing into space in the area to finish low beyond keeper Gerard Benfield.

Worryingly for the Terras, they have now conceded 11 goals in three home games since the loan expiry of influential defender Joe Cook and the serious knee injury to Calvin Brooks.

Joe Cook helped Weymouth construct a run of three wins and three clean sheets during his loan from Dorking (Image: MARK PROBIN)

And Wilkinson admitted Weymouth’s defending from set-pieces had killed the Terras.

He told Echosport: “I never make excuses but the two boys I’ve lost at centre-half are a massive miss and it proved it. If both of them were playing, we win the game.

“But I can’t look back. Jordon (Thompson) is going to be a good player but he’s still a boy and Corey (Panter) is nowhere near fit yet.

“When I look on the bench, do I put another kid (Naz Bakrin) on? I thought they were men against boys, I’m just being real.

“You can feel sorry for yourself as much as you want, you’ve got to get back on the training pitch and be hard to beat again.

“We did know this was going to be the tricky spell because it doesn’t come any easier now.”

Asked how concerned Weymouth’s defensive shortcomings made him, Wilkinson replied: “I can tell you now I’m very concerned.

“When it’s happened in the past, you try and change that straight away. Right now, that’s the two we’ve got with the youngster.

“Maybe I’ll go back into the market to see what else is available. I won’t let that continue to happen.

“You can handle it on Saturday (4-1 against Worthing) and you can deal with that, but not two home games in a row, especially when you’re 2-1 up as well.

“I just felt the lads let themselves down to a point. I don’t ever say that but I can’t defend that.

“You know I’m one of the most positive managers out there but I truly believe they have to take responsibility as well.”

After the double blow before half-time, Weymouth did still have an entire half to retrieve the situation.

However, Wilkinson bemoaned a lacklustre 45 minutes from the Terras in which they never looked like scoring.

“I thought there was no energy, I thought we were very flat,” he conceded.

“Then, you question yourself. Should you have freshened it up earlier? Maybe.

“But, why would you take off Brandon Goodship when you think he can score at 3-2 or 4-2? Why would you take off Harry (Parsons) when you think he can score?

“It’s fine margins. If you take them off, then people are going to go: ‘You should’ve left them on’.

“It’s one of them, you take a gamble. Some have worked, some haven’t.”

Weymouth have no match this weekend due to Maidstone’s FA Cup fifth round tie with Coventry, but return to action at home to St Albans City on Tuesday (7.45pm).