Five-star Sports

CLINICAL finishing saw Weymouth Sports put five past rivals Easton United and secure second spot in the Dorset Senior League.

The scoreline was somewhat harsh on a battling Easton outfit but the home side deserved their victory at Weymouth College.

Danny Moore had given the islanders the lead until Derek Puckett equalised. The Sports’ striker grabbed his second after the half-time break before co-manager Mark Nicholson scored with a spectacular strike to extend the lead.

Then, in the final few minutes, Sam Culpin’s fine finish and a great solo effort from Jimmy Hallett rounded off the scoring.

Sports’ other co-boss Steve Alcock said: “I think 2-1, maybe 3-1, might have been a fairer result. They gave us a game and could maybe have been 2-0 up by half-time, we were perhaps lucky to get our first goal when we did.

“But to be perfectly honest I’m just really pleased as the lads put up a really good show. Although we can’t win the league it was important that we showed we’re still interested in seeing out the league.”

United manager Chris Wilson was left frustrated by the losing margin and felt many of the goals could have been avoided.

He said: “It was a massively flattering result. Our keeper has got 10 guys in front of him who have given everything. I know he hasn’t done it on purpose but he’s let them down with four of the goals.

“We didn’t create enough to warrant a victory but I don’t think 5-1 was a fair reflection of how the game went.

“At half-time we were still positive but you just can’t legislate for individual errors.”

It was the visitors who opened the scoring. Antony Carlile beat the offside trap on the quarter hour and unselfishly squared for Moore to tap into an empty net.

Ten minutes later though, the hosts drew level as Puckett latched on to a through ball, took it past keeper Dave Anthony and tucked home despite the efforts of Stu Burley on the Easton goal-line.

Hallett went close to giving Sports the lead before Adam Skelton almost got on the end of a Terry Oldrid free-kick.

The first real action of the second period saw the home side forge ahead in the 64th minute. Andy Cleal’s shot looked an easy one to deal with but Anthony spilt the effort, leaving Puckett with the simplest of finishes.

The islanders went agonisingly close to restoring parity just 60 seconds later. First, Moore saw a fierce drive from 30 yards palmed away by home stopper Ian Bickerstaff and then Rob Maxted’s left-foot strike rolled just past the right-hand post.

Ben Skelton did manage to put the ball in the home goal but was denied by an offside flag.

And 12 minutes from time, the hosts made the game safe. Nicholson picked the ball up some 25 yards out, spotted Anthony off his line, and sent a dipping shot in off the underside of the crossbar.

With Easton now beaten, Sports added gloss to the scoreline. A flowing team move ended with a crisp finish from Culpin on 88 minutes before Hallett, in stoppage time, went past three visiting defenders and sent a low shot beyond the delayed dive of Anthony.

Sports: Bickerstaff, Sharpe (Hicks 78), Laidlow, Pattison, St Walker, Sc Walker (Alcock 83), Culpin, Cleal, MacConachie (Nicholson 63), Puckett, Hallett.

Easton: Anthony, Burley (Gould 86), Carlile, Williams, Oldrid, B Skelton, Turrell, A Skelton, Moore (Baker 68), Bowler (Braund 75), Maxted.