WEYMOUTH’S frustrating start in the Zamaretto Pre-mier Division continued as they failed to break down an organised Leamington side.

The Terras were blown away by Bashley last Monday but at the New Windmill Ground they more than held their own, and were unfortunate not to come away with at least a point.

Once again it was a slow start to the game that proved their undoing as Richard Batchelor fired the hosts in front on 20 minutes.

After that it was nip and tuck throughout with Rob Nicholls going desperately close to equalising with a header moments later that was cleared off the line by Michael Tuohy.

The Brakes also had chances to stretch their lead on the counter-attack but at the final whistle the Terras were once again left thinking what might have been after dominating possession for long periods in the second half.

Weymouth’s assistant-manager Andy Mason is adamant that it is only a matter of time before his side gets their just rewards.

He said: “I think we deserved something. In the first 20 minutes we were a little bit shaky. We didn’t keep the ball well and eventually we got punished.

“But once they scored it was like a light switch going on and after that we enjoyed a lot of possession and on another day would have got something even though we did not create an awful lot of chances.

“The problem is when you give a team a head start they tend to try and cling on to it and that is exactly what Leamington did. They were well organised and they tried to hit us on the break. Towards the end we went for it by putting three up front but we still could not break them down and in the end it was disappointing to lose after having played so well.”

The Terras went into the game missing three key defenders with Simon Radcliffe and Sam Clarke both sidelined through injury and Matt Oldring serving the last game of a two-match suspension.

Boss Ian Hutchinson drafted in Alex Halloran and Ollie Tribe from the reserves to fill the full-back slots and dropped Cameron Mawer into the centre of defence alongside Ben Gerring, and the four of them worked well as a unit in front of the impressive Tom Manley.

Hutchinson also named himself on the bench and handed a first start of the season to Nicholls, who did well in midfield. Lewis Whyton was also called into the squad and named among the substitutes, replacing Sam Charles.

With so many changes to the side it was perhaps not a surprise to see the Terras make such a slow start, which saw Batchelor go close with a header from a corner early on, which flew just wide.

That proved a warning sign for the visitors but they failed to take notice of it and moments later they were a goal behind. Luke Corbett burst down the flank and cut the ball back to the edge of the area and when Peter Faulds produced a neat dummy there was Batchelor to curl a shot past Manley.

Faulds was then denied the chance of a second by a last-ditch clearance by Gerring before Batchelor threatened again with an effort from close range that flew just off target.

However, as the half drew on, Weymouth’s confidence grew and they were unfortunate not to level when Tuohy retreated into the six-yard box and produced a marvellous clearance to deny Nicholls, whose header had beaten home keeper Tony Breeden all ends up.

The half then ended with another scary moment for the Terras, which saw Corbett gamble on to a fine pass from Batchelor, only to be stopped in his tracks by an offside flag.

After the break the Terras enjoyed long spells of possession but failed to turn it into meaningful chances, as Leamington’s defence stood strong.

Corbett then put the ball in the net after a fine ball across the box by substitute James Husband but once again the referee’s assistant came to Wey-mouth’s rescue with another timely flag.

Craig Wilding then had a close-range effort blocked before Faulds was denied by a flying save from Manley as the Terras remained resolute in the hope of snatching a point late on.

In a bold move, Whyton and Jules Emati-Emati came off the bench and helped make up two-thirds of a three-pronged attack, which nearly paid dividends when Matteo King’s cross broke loose to Warren Byerley, who looked certain to score until Breeden dived bravely at his feet to smother the ball.

Terras: Manley, Tribe, Gerring, Mawer, Halloran, Nicholls (Whyton 80), McGuinness (King 68), Groves, Joseph-Dubois (Emati-Emati 73), Byerley, Magookin. Subs not used: Weeks, Hutchinson.

Leamington: Breeden, Tuohy, Cowley, Downes, Lycett, Daly, Faulds, Stapleton (Husband 69), Wilding, Corbett (Lewis 86), Batchelor. Subs not used: Murphy, Roscorla, Knight.