Akurang stops rot

FOREST GREEN 1 Mangan 51

WEYMOUTH stopped the rot of 11 straight defeats as Bobby Gould’s reign started with a point at home to Forest Green Rovers.

Cliff Akurang scored his first goal since joining the Terras to end the team’s barren run of no goals in their last seven outings. But his effort was wiped out early in the second half as Andy Mangan equalised for the visitors.

Despite gaining their first Blue Square Premier point since February 10, Weymouth remain in the bottom four by virtue of goal difference.

The Terras’ new interim boss made three changes from Saturday’s 1-0 loss at already relegated Lewes – the defeat which brought an end to Alan Lewer’s time in charge.

Fola Onibuje came in for Jermaine Palmer, Cameron Mawer returned in defence and Dominic Merella replaced the suspended Marcus Browning.

Rovers’ Conal Platt lined up against his former employers.

The Terras made a positive start, taking the game to their opponents early on, but a mistake from Gavin Hoyte almost let the visitors in.

A ball over the top was misjudged by the defender allowing Mangan a run at goal. However, Hoyte made a great recovery and rescued the situation with a last-ditch tackle.

The hosts responded well and went agonisingly close to scoring their first goal in seven games. A Kyle Critchell free-kick was pum-ped into the Rovers’ box, knocked down by Merella to Onibuje who could only watch as his volley crashed against the crossbar.

The intensity of the game dropped a notch and both sides were restricted to half-chances but the Terras started to take control of proceedings just past the half-hour. Akurang set his captain James Coutts free but the midfielder, when faced with a one-on-one with Terry Burton, shot tamely at the visiting keeper. The rebound came the way of Akurang whose fierce strike found the left-post.

Just two minutes later though, the Weymouth pressure paid dividends as Akurang broke the Terras’ 716-minute goal drought and notched his first in claret and blue.

Onibuje managed to dig out a deep cross right on the by-line and strike-partner Akurang climbed high to sneak a header in at the far post which was met with a party-style celebration.

A cheeky piece of play soon after saw Akurang head the ball out of Burton's hand just as the keeper was set to kick it. The referee’s assistant cried foul play and the Terras’ striker was harshly issued with a yellow card.

Gould made his first substitution just two minutes into the second period, bringing Stephen Cooke on in place of Onibuje, who was struggling with a groin injury.

And a mere 60 seconds later the home side should have made it 2-0. A searching pass from Stephen Reed found Akurang bearing down on Burton’s goal but the goal-scorer could only find the side netting.

That miss proved costly as Forest Green equalised three minutes later. Ben Gill did superbly to head Alex Lawless’ volley off the line but from the resulting corner, which was initially cleared, Lawless was given a second bite of the cherry and delivered a pin-point cross to the unmarked Mangan who made no mistake from four yards.

After surviving a renewed effort from the away side, Weymouth were back on the offensive and two minutes after the midway point of the half, Merella was denied by a smart stop after Burton’s initial punch fell at the feet of the home midfielder.

Moments later substitute Cooke curled a 25-yard free-kick narrowly wide of goal.

The visitors remained a threat and former Terra Platt went close with a volley right on the edge of Weymouth’s penalty area.

And Rovers were presented with a glorious chance to complete the comeback on 70 minutes. Home stopper Adam Legzdins, who had a relatively quiet afternoon at this point, came out of his goal to clear a long ball but only succeeded in slicing his kick with Mangan in close proximity. Luckily for the gloveman, Mangan skewed his effort high and wide.

Legzdins had team-mate Critchell to thank 10 minutes from time as the central defender made a vital block three yards out to deny Mangan a certain second.

The final opportunities of the game fell the way of Rovers but Lawless fired high from 30 yards and captain Darren Jones headed over from Lee Fowler’s last-gasp corner.

Weymouth: Legzdins, Mawer, Hoyte, Critchell, Collins, Gill, Reed, Coutts, Merella (Richardson 76), Onibuje (Cooke 47), Akurang (Hart 84). Subs not used: Evans, Gwinnett.

Forest Green: Burton, Lawless, Jones, Mangan, Platt, Smith, Preece, Fowler, McDonald, Ayres, Lloyd. Subs not used: Casey, Else, Palmer, Pass.