Can we have moor of the same?
by Steve Dadd & Pete Pavey

16th February 2003

With the Pitch looking as threadbare as the squad, the Terras took the field against a Moor Green side that had not tasted defeat in the league since November 2nd last year.
 
Geoff Butler's problems were compounded when Danny Bailey with travelling companion Leon Green, rang at 2-30 to say that he was stuck in traffic and did not know when he would arrive at the Wessex Stadium. With John Waldock (thigh), Matt Hale (knee), Redwood (suspended), the only good news was Phillips passing a fitness test on his ankle.
 
Within the opening minute Martyn Sullivan had given visiting glove man Adam Rachel notice that today was not going to quiet in the away goal. Whiteman and Phillips combined well on the right flank and his cross fell perfectly to Sullivan who hit the ball first time from 18 yards; Rachel at full stretch gathered.
 
Moor's Jai Stanley was booked on 10 minutes after Sullivan had turned and left him for dead on the edge of the 18-yard box, his body check flattened the lively midfielder. The neatly worked free kick by Steve 'hedgehog' Tully saw Phillips beat the Moor's back line and head at Rachel. He parried the ball and with Phillips moving to collect and score, Rachel pulled the Cornishman to the ground. With half the ground baying for a penalty, Wendy Toms kept her flag by her side.
 
Moor Green's only real effort of the half came on 15 minutes when an incisive ball from Jai Stanley was pushed into the box, Matthews was quick off his line and smothered any danger from the flying boots of Elmes.
 
Weymouth were playing some lovely football with their wing play. Moor Green were having to test the nerve of the officials with some rather clumsy tackles.
 
Sullivan forced another save from Rachel on 21 minutes with Phillips shooting wide a minute later. Phillips was guilty again of poor finishing three minutes later. With Weymouth camped in the visitor’s goalmouth, Rachel got down well to a Sullivan free kick.
 
It was almost deja vous for Sullivan on the half hour as Rachel raced out of his box to beat Phillips to the ball, his poor clearance fell to Weymouth’s number 10, but unlike last week, he could not control the ball and he shot wide.
 
With Weymouth running out of steam and Moor Green's uninventive approach to the game, the final 15 minutes of the half dragged by.

The Terras faithful were resigned to 'another' goal less draw as the temperature began to drop and the breeze became stiffer.
 
Danny Bailey (who had warmed up at half time) replaced young Mark Whiteman as Butler pushed Robinson up front alongside Sullivan and Phillips for the restart.
 
Sullivan hit the crossbar with a header on 48 minutes as the Terras went in search of a goal and three points.
 
A minute later a beautifully floated cross from Bailey picked out Alex Browne, his header looked goal bound but the acrobatic Rachel diving backwards finger tipped the ball over the bar.
 
Weymouth broke the deadlock on 50 minutes, Mark Robinson had done the hard work out on the right flank, his cross beat a host of defenders and there was Phillips to header home from a few yards out.
 

With the cheers still echoing around the ground Moor Green equalised. The Terras defence out numbered the Yellow and Green shirts, but they allowed Jai Stanley too much room, he slotted the ball toward Elmes who beat Matthews to the ball and swept the ball beneath his body and into the back of the net.
 
There was no sense of panic from the hosts as they cranked it up a notch and came at Moor Green from all angles. With two penalty appeals already turned down in the second half from what appeared to be obvious handballs, Mr Linnington awarded Weymouth a spot kick on 63 minutes when Phillips was adjudged to have been pushed. Rachel, already the hero for the Moors, dived to his left and stopped Phillips from scoring his second, but the ever-alert Bailey was on hand to knock the ball home from five yards.
 
With the officials seeing everything from Weymouth’s perspective Moor Green's frustrations were self-evident and some niggly off the ball incidents took place, Sullivan received a nasty elbow to the face from Gary Hughes whilst the officials were dealing with another incident.
 
Weymouth’s flank play was a joy as Robinson and Sullivan backed up by Tully and Ashford put in ball after ball. Again, only poor finishing denied the Terras of a cricket score. Browne’s overhead kick from the edge of the box glanced the top of the bar on 75 minutes and Sullivan snap shot following Robinson’s cross spun wide.
 
Miss of the game fell to Phillips. Sullivan had raced down the right flank to the by line, he cut the ball back Robinson dummied over the ball drawing the keeper and with the goal at his mercy Phillips blasted wide. But the Cornishman was not going to be denied. Another Sullivan run and cross found Phillips who had lost his footing, he stumbled onto the ball it, bounced goalwards past the grounded Rachel and into the net. A spawny goal yes, but a goal nevertheless, and one that Phillips deserved as he had run and worked his socks off.