No doubting ace Thomas
by Roger Fear

Monday 10th January 2005

WEYMOUTH moved to within touching distance of the Nationwide South play-off zone with a hard-fought victory over strugglers Carshalton Athletic.

And it was new Peterborough loan signing Bradley Thomas who proved their hero - he headed the only goal of the game early in the second half.

Carshalton started the brighter of the two sides with a dangerous Andy Cyrus cross blocked by Matt Bound and Sam Saunders, fresh from a trial period with Brentford, drilling the ball wide of Jason Matthews' goal.

The visitors then created openings with Lee Phillips going close, meeting Robert Traynor's long cross from the right but directing the ball narrowly over the bar.

Traynor, on loan from Crawley, then had a shot cleared off the line by home
defender Alt Reeve.

A Carshalton break from defence moments later saw Saunders stretching to steer wide of the target and Cyrus followed up by forcing Matthews to parry his first-time volley.

After 31 minutes the best chance of the half fell to Weymouth's Kirk Jackson.

From a Phillips cross he volleyed goal-bound only for Laurie Stewart to clear of the goal line with the keeper beaten.

Nic McDonnell should have done better for Carshalton the final minute of the opening period when breaking clear of the defence on the left-hand side, however drove across Matthews but wide of the far post.

The visitors then got off the best possible start in the second half.

With just three minutes played a Phillips' free kick from wide left found the head of Thomas who beat the flapping hands of keeper Stuart Searle to give his side lead.

It took a while Carshalton to regain the composure as Weymouth threatened to increase their advantage.

Jackson and lan Hutcinson both went close for the visitors before on 60 minutes a shot from home striker Boateng was somehow cleared by Bound and Saunders following hooked the ball wide of target when it looked easier to score.

Terras wingback Steve Tully lined up substitute Mark Boyce for a 15-yard
drive which Searle did to save and Jackson then had a powerful header turned around the post by the diving keeper.

Matthews caused a moment's panic at the other end when he spilled a shot
"rom Boateng but he reacted quickly to gather in front of McDonnell.

Carshalton brought on two youth team players for the final ten minutes and one of them, Lewis Bajeux, found himself cautioned for a rash tackle on Charlie Welch who was also booked for reacting to the foul.

The Terras continued to search for a second late on and almost got it when a Hutchinson shot was blocked on the line and a Ryan Hill free kick was well saved by Searle.

Weymouth : Jason Matthews, Steve Tully (Mark Boyce 65mins), Charlie Welch, Matt Bound, Bradley Thomas, Bernardo Cariata (Simon Browne 58mins), Robbie Traynor (Ryan Hill 82mins), Ian Hutchinson, Kirk Jackson, Danny Byrne, Lee Phillips

Subs not used : Jamie Impey, Simon Evans

Carshalton Athletic : Stuart Searle, Colin Hartburn (Aaron Cole-Bolt 83mins), Peter Wood, Ali Reeve, Sam Saunders, Bradley Pritchard (Lewis Bajeux 83mins), Andy Cyrus (Billy Harding 46mins), Matt York, Nic McDonnell, Laurie Stewart, Des Boateng

Subs not used : Mark Costello

Referee : S Daly (London)

Bookings :

Weymouth : Thomas (68mins), Welch (88mins)

Carshalton Athletic : Bajeux 88mins