Claridge saves suicidal
Terras
By Matt Pitman
Monday 20th September
COMEBACK kings Weymouth salvaged another draw from the jaws
of defeat
after pressing the self destruct button once again.
The Terras grabbed their latest Nationwide South point after
somesuicidal defending allowed lowly Carshalton to race into
a two-goal interval lead at the Wessex Stadium.
But Steve Claridge's side bucked their ideas up after the
half-time cuppa and skipper Paul Buckle and the player-boss
himself struck late to leave honours even.
It was the second time in four days Weymouth have fought back
after finding themselves two down, following last Wednesday's
draw at Weston super-Mare.
A point looked a million miles away for the hosts after the
interval after a couple of schoolboy errors from defender
Nathan Bunce and loan keeper Terry
Masterson did the damage. Masterson's mistake capped a miserable
home debut for the Millwall keeper.
The youngster, preferred instead of regular gloveman Jason
Matthews, looked shaky throughout in front of an unforgiving
Radipole Lane crowd.
But his opposite number Stuart Searle saved nearly everything
thrown at him during the opening period.
First the former Aldershot Town stopper saved smartly from
Chukki Eribenne's first-time volley, then he blocked Bunce's
header.
Despite carving a host of early chances, Weymouth fell behind
to a shock 12th minute.
Bunce inexplicable left Mark Costello's seemingly harmless
free-kick from deep and there was Marion Patterson to make
no mistake from close range.
Carshalton lost Costello to a head injury moments later and
the home side pushed on in search of an equaliser.
Eribenne, who looked the most likely source, was denied again
by Searle after good work from Steve Tully down the right.
A series of ringing fire alarms, caused by a faulty connection,
diverted attention for a while before Masterson's howler cost
Weymouth another goal.
Striker Desmond Boateng did well to get to the byline, sent
over a looping cross which seemed an easy claim for the keeper.
But somehow the youngster misjudged the timing of his leap
and grateful frontman Nic McDonnell got up to head over him.
The impressive Searle was again at full stretch to protect
Athletic's lead before the break, pushing Tully's volley wide
and then keeping out a stinging Buckle drive.
After a half-time tongue lashing by Claridge, the home side
improved after the interval.
Paul Gibbs replaced Lee Philpott, with Weymouth reverting
to a flat back
four, and the chances continued to come.
It took some good defending from Patterson to deny Tully who
latched on to the impressive Adam Wilde's through ball.
With the Terras pretty much continually camped in their opponents'
half, a goal always looked on the cards.
Buckle curled just wide from 25 yards on 62 minutes but less
than 120 seconds the skipper got his team back in it.
Strong Eribenne held off a couple of challenges inside the
area, released Claridge whose cross was pushed out by Searle
and there was Buckle to crash home.
Suddenly the home side's tails were up and it took a couple
of crude Carshalton challenges to deny Wilde in full flow
down the left.
But there were still warnings signs at the other end as substitute
Dal Marvel almost captialised on more shaky keeping from Masterson
and Sam Saunders' looping drive curled just past the far post.
Gibbs was lucky only to receive a booking from referee Bruce
McLaren after lashing out at Saunders after a foul.
The equaliser eventually arrived with seven minutes left to
play Simon Browne's shot skidded on a slick playing surface
through to play.
Simon Browne's shot skidded on a slick playing surface through
to Buckle who squeezed a pass through a crowded box to Claridge
who slotted home.
The former Portsmouth striker almost won it with seconds left
but his goalbound was cleared off the line by the alert Colin
Hartburn.
Eribenne did have the ball in the net in stoppage time, but
his celebrations were cut short after Claridge was flagged
offside.
Weymouth: Terry Masterson.
Steve Tully, Simon Browne, Nathan Bunce, Robbie Pethick, Martin
Barlow, Paul Buckle, Chukki Eribenne, Steve Claridge, Lee
Philpott, Adam Wilde
Subs :
Ian Hutchinson, Lee Charles, Paul Gibbs (for Philpott
60mins), Jamie Impey, Dave Waterman
Carshalton: Staurt Searle, Colin Hartburn, Peter
Wood, Mark Costello, Billy Harding, Gary Eliott, Sam Saunders,
Matt Yorke, Desmond Boateng, Nic McDonnell, Marlon Patterson.
Subs :
Adrian Stone, Dal Marvel (for Costello 17mins),
Andy Frith (for Yorke 45mins), Andy Sullivan
Referee:
Bruce McLaren (Woking)
Bookings:
Weymouth: Gibbs (foul), Browne (foul)
Carshalton: Eliott (foul), Saunders (foul), Frith (foul)
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