Phillips Power Show Needles The Knitters
by Matt Pitman

Monday 24th November

A superb double by Lee Phillips helped Weymouth open up a five point lead at the top of the Dr Martens Premier Division.

The 22-year-old striker saw off second place Hinckley United almost single-handedly with a devastating performance of power and pace.

The former Plymouth Argyle man struck twice in the opening period as the commanding Terras sent a season best Wessex Stadium crowd of 1,573 home happy.

Few would bet against Steve Claridge's charges being in the title shake up next May on this form, especially as they now boast the best defensive record in the division.

After a shaky start to the season, the miserly Terras have now failed to concede in a whopping 444 minutes of league action.

And much of the credit for that must go to sweeper Steve Tully who has been a towering strength at the heart of his side's defence.

The former Torquay United youngster has been in sensational form since his switch from his customary wing back role a few weeks ago and again the 23-year-old used his lightning pace to clear up when the Terras occasionally found themselves in a pickle.

On a day of after match fireworks at the Radipole Lane venue, Weymouth lit up the Wessex Stadium with a colourful display of attacking football right from the off.

A flurry of early crosses caused the visitors no end of problems and it was Phillips who should have put the Dorset side ahead just six minutes in.

Midfielder Ian Hutchinson exchanged passes with Claridge down the left before arrowing over a pinpoint cross to the unmarked Phillips.

The striker leapt high but failed to direct his header goalwards.

Big defender Jamie Impey was inches away from connecting to the superb Lee Philpott's corner moments later.

But Hinckley, whose rise to second in the table has surprised many, survived that early onslaught and hit back.

Wayne Dyer seized on a clearance by Weymouth keeper Jason Matthews, playing with heavy strapping to protect a head wound, and sent Justin Jenkins streaking clear.

The striker opted to take the shot early but Matthews got down low to push away.

The hosts continued to do all the running though with some excellent crisp passing and they deservedly took the lead 20 minutes in.

Loan midfielder Andy Lindegaard started the move deep inside his own half, finding Martin Barlow who slotted a superb pass to Claridge down the right.

His cross was crashed against Phillips by giant Knitters defender Andy Penny and the ball zipped off the drenched turf and past keeper Chris Taylor.

The Leicestershire side responded to that set back well and it took some good defensive work by Tully and skipper Paul Buckle, who took the full force of a Penny drive in his midriff, to keep the Terras ahead.

A dangerous Neil Cartwright inswinging free-kick had to be watched carefully by Matthews as it curled through a crowded box just before the break.

But almost every time Phillips picked up possession, you sensed something was about to happen.

If his first had an element of fortune about it, there was nothing lucky about his second strike on 43 minutes.

Philpott clipped a corner in from the left and, with the ball slightly behind him, Phillips rose high to plant a peach of a header past Taylor. Seconds later Matthews somehow pulled off a world class save from Jenkins' close range flick that had goal written all over it.

Two nil up against their nearest rivals in the table, Weymouth opted for cruise control in the second period.

Set-pieces always looked the Knitters best route to hauling themselves back into it and Lee Russell was forced to hook Scott Voice's shot off the line midway through the half.

The hosts continued to knock passes around without really threatening to increase their advantage. But Phillips, on the search for a hat-trick, was stopped in his tracks after a couple of forceful runs and Lindegaard saw a pot shot from distance fly just over.

At the other end, the closest Hinckley came to pulling one back late on came when substitute Tommy Goodwin wriggled free and fired a shot that was blocked by a boot of Matthews.

Weymouth: Jason Matthews, Steve Tully, Andy Lindegaard, Martin Barlow, Lee Russell, Jamie Impey, Paul Buckle, Ian Hutchinson, Steve Claridge, Lee Philpott, Lee Phillips

Subs not used: Scott Partridge, Lee Nightingale, Simon Browne, John Lamb, Paul Gadsby