WEYMOUTH SPORTS 0

STURMINSTER NEWTON 2

A DEBATABLE penalty decision went against Weymouth Sports as they slumped to a disappointing 2-0 home defeat against Sturminster Newton United in the Dorset Senior League.

Steve Alcock’s men were below par in the first half and went behind when Jason Thoday was judged to have tripped Stuart Frear in the box. The home players were convinced the forward had stumbled over his own feet but the referee refused to listen to their protests and Frear stuck the resulting spot-kick past keeper Dan Floyd to give the Cherries a half-time lead.

After the break, Sports showed more endeavour with Steven Walker having a header cleared off the line and Robbie Rolls clipping a post with a fine shot. But they were unable to find a breakthrough and with 15 minutes remaining they conceded a second.

A short back pass put pressure on Floyd and when he attempted to clear up field the ball ricocheted off the back of midfielder Steve Moore’s head and flew into the net for one of the most fortuitous of goals.

To make matters worse, Floyd was then carried off moments later after another under-hit delivery back to him caused a nasty collision with an onrushing forward, which ended with the keeper sustaining a leg injury and being taken to hospital where he was later diagnosed with muscle damage.

All in all it was a frustrating afternoon for Alcock, who said afterwards: “The previous week we had battled so hard to get a result at Stourpaine and perhaps before the game I expected a bit more from the lads than I got.

“We still had a bit left in the tank at the end and although we stayed in it right up until five minutes from the end, we never looked like we wanted to take the game by the scruff of its neck and had we done that I reckon we would have got something.”

Commenting on the penalty decision, Alcock added: “My first reaction was that it was a penalty but the lads have since told me that the guy clipped his own heel.

“The fact we then conceded such a fortuitous second and also saw Dan have to come off just moments after we had used all our substitutes was all very unfortunate but in truth we did not get the right quality in the right areas and that is what has ended up costing us.

“The lads were all disappointed afterwards but all we can do now is put it to one side and try and bounce back in our next game at Gillingham Town Reserves this Saturday, which will no doubt be another tough encounter.”

Sports: Floyd, Hicks, Bessant, St Walker, Thoday, Bastick, Culpin (Green 70), Sc Walker, Quinton (Dixon 70), Rolls, MacConnachie (Cleal 60). Subs not used: Al Mason, Stone.