Terras hold their nerve

WEYMOUTH showed incredible character to finally capture the victory their endeavour has deserved at St George’s Lane, Worcester.

With last Tuesday’s heartbreaking 3-2 defeat at Salisbury City still fresh in the memory, the Terras would have been forgiven for making a slow start against Evesham United but instead they came out of the dressing room determined to prove a point.

Warren Byerley fired them ahead from the spot on 13 minutes and when Cameron Mawer tucked the ball home again from a corner it looked like Ian Hutchinson’s men were in full command.

However, in the closing stages of the half it then appeared like the football forces might conspire against them again, just as they did at the Raymond McEnhill Stadium, when eight minutes before the break the Robins won a penalty.

One of Salisbury’s three late goals had come from a spot-kick so the Terras’ fans instantly began fearing the worst. However, keeper Tom Manley, who committed the offence, pulled off a fine block to protect their lead.

But the danger of a dramatic comeback was still was not over and on 82 minutes the hosts piled on the pressure again with Danny Lennon cutting the deficit with a fine finish.

Weymouth could have easily wilted after that but determined not to let history repeat itself they hit back moments later through Jules Emati-Emati, who added a third to lay the ghost of last midweek firmly to rest.

Speaking after the game, Hutchinson said: “I always felt it was only a matter of time before we got the win we deserved because of the way we have gone about things and I am chuffed to bits for all the lads, who have worked so hard.

“Seeing them after last Tuesday’s defeat at Salisbury was not pretty. They were devastated but since then they have picked themselves up and showed a lot of character to come away with all three points.

“I said they would come back stronger for that experience and that showed at the end after Evesham pulled one back. Instead of allowing the pressure to get to us, we then went again and finished it off by getting a third, which was a fantastic.”

Hutchinson made one change to his starting XI with new-signing Shane White being drafted in at right-back in place of Matt Oldring, who dropped to the bench.

Fellow new boy Rob Nicholls was also named among the substitutes and replaced Pierre Joseph-Dubois with five minutes remaining after the ex-Reading striker suffered a knock to an ankle. Ollie Tribe and Sam Charles were the unfortunate ones to miss out.

Hutchinson added: “We were excellent all over the pitch. Shane made his debut and performed well, and it was also good to see Jules come off the bench and make an impact. He has had to bide his time a bit but he came on in the last 15 minutes and thoroughly deserved his goal.”

Another man who impressed again was Byerley whose clever movement and outstanding work-rate was quickly rewarded when Danny Hodnett pulled him down in the box.

Some superstitious managers do not like the man that won the penalty taking the spot-kick but Hutchinson had full faith in Byerley and he did not disappoint as he slotted the ball home with confidence.

Another good period of pressure by the visitors then ended with a second goal midway through the half. Simon Radcliffe whipped over a fine corner and there was Mawer to send the ball crashing into the net with his right boot.

United then received a way back into the game when Manley was booked for coming off his line and bringing down Neil Barnfield. Justin Nisbett took the resulting penalty but his strike down the middle ricocheted off the Terras’ stopper’s legs and away to safety.

Lennon then got one back in the closing stages but Weymouth refused to buckle and when Joseph-Dubois had a shot saved by Ben Lewis, the ball ran loose to Emati-Emati who tucked home the rebound.

The game had been a decent spectacle except for a severe injury suffered by home defender Rapinder Gill at the start of the second period, which caused the action to be held up for 40 minutes while an ambulance was called.

Hutchinson, who is a trained paramedic, said: “Their lad got it down in the corner and when Warren went to close him down he got his studs caught in the turf and sustained a bad fracture of the ankle.

“I did run over to see what was what but I then left it to the two club physios. It was a nasty injury and everyone at the Weymouth FC wishes the lad well and hopes he has a good recovery.”

Evesham: Lewis, Watson, Hyde, Hodnett, Luckett, Gill (Costello 51), Barnfield, Robbins (Lennon 68), Nisbett, Agbor (Clarke 57), Koriya. Subs not used: Etheridge, Mace.

Terras: Manley, White, Radcliffe, Clarke, Gerring, Mawer, McGuinness (King 88), Groves, Joseph-Dubois (Nicholls 85), Byerley (Emati-Emati 75), Magookin. Subs not used: Carroll, Oldring.

Attendance: 160