Terras survive Hawks attack
By Paul Baker
Monday 6th December 2004
First-half blitz lands Johnson the spoils on home debut
STEVE Johnson won the battle of the new managers at
the Wessex Stadium
.
Weymouth's head coach marked his home debut with a thrilling
Conference
South victory over lan Baird's Havant and Waterlooville.
But the former Latvian under-18 boss was made to sweat for the
three points as
his new-look side threatened to squander a commanding first
half lead.
The Terras, who included five new faces in their squad, were
3-0 up and cruising at the break thanks to strikes from Kirk
Jackson, Lee Phillips and Lee Charles.
However, a treble substitution inspired a great second half
comeback by the visitors who narrowed the gap courtesy of David
Town and Gavin Holligan.
Weymouth were left hanging on for the last 15 minutes but that
early blitz proved
enough to earn them the spoils and ninth spot in the table.
The hosts got off to a dream start with Jackson rifling them
in front in the fifth
minute.
Adam Wilde rode a couple of strong challenges wide on the left
after collecting Hawks' keeper Gareth Howells' poor clearance
and his cross was beautifully
executed by the former Yeovil striker from 10 yards.
Havant should have been level 30 seconds later when Michael
Gordon delivered to Dean Blake just inside the home penalty
area but his powerful shot was
brilliantly diverted over the bar by the legs of Jason Matthews.
And during those hectic early exchanges, Weymouth almost doubled
their advantage on seven minutes when Wilde and lan Hutchinson
combined to
present Lee Phillips with a golden opportunity but he mis-kicked
from the edge of the six-yard box with just Howells to beat.
Phillips made up for that error when the impressive Wilde again
left defenders
chasing shadows after being picked out by new signing from Yeovil,
18-year-old
Charlie Welch.
This time the winger slid a glorious ball into the path of the
ex-Plymouth man
who turned Tom Jordan inside out before smashing a low drive
beyond Howells and into the back of the net.
Marshalled
Things canned down a little after that electrifying opening
with Taylor and
Dean Holdsworth - on paper one of the league's most dangerous
strike partnerships - rarely threatening a solid Weymouth rearguard,
expertly marshalled by loan man Roy O'Brien.
The Terras then suffered a big blow on 22 minutes when Phillips
went down in a
heap clutching his groin while jogging back to face a goal kick.
A couple of minute's treatment failed to do the trick and on
came transfer-listed Lee Charles to replace him.
And the enforced change paid dividends on the half-hour when
Hutchinson floated over a corner that was helped goalwards by
O'Brien and there was the Terras substitute to hook in from
close range.
Weymouth defended their three-goal lead comfortably until half
time although
O'Brien was fortunate his clumsy foul on Holdsworth on 40 minutes
came an inch outside the penalty area.
Ex-Leeds United star Baird's response to his team's appalling
showing was to
throw on all three of his permitted substitutes for the restart.
However, the shake-up had little effect to begin with and it
was Howells who was
kept the busier of the two stoppers as Wilde, Hutchinson and
Welch continued to cause mayhem along that left flank.
Not to be outdone, Matthews reminded the crowd there were two
keepers on the
park when he dived to save well at his near post after the head
of Holligan had
met Gordon's centre.
The Hawks enjoyed their best spell after that with Holligan
driving just wide of
the target and Blake forcing a decent stop from a back-pedalling
Matthews.
And they eventually got their name on the scoreboard in the
72nd minute following a rare lapse in the home defence.
Holligan cracked a rasping shot that was superbly beaten out
by a sprawling
Matthews but he had no chance second time around as Town raced
in to bury the rebound.
Suddenly the Hawks were flying and they got another back four
minutes later.
Holligan showed great determination to cut in from the right
after being released
by Gordon and he side-footed home beyond an advancing Matthews
and past
Matt Bound's desperate goal line clear- ance attempt.
That set the nerves jangling big time in the home camp with
the visitors throw-
ing everyone forward in search of an equaliser.
And they may well have got one had Holdsworth shown more of
his old Premiership skills in front of the target instead of
twice blazing high and wide
from good positions.
Weymouth too had chances to make the game safe in the dying
stages but Charles, Jackson and substitute Kieron Keene all
poked weakly at a grateful Howells.
Weymouth : Jason
Matthews, Steve Tully, Charlie Welch, Matt Bound, Danny Byrne,
Mark Boyce (Kieren Keene 56mins), Ian Hutchinson (Paul Gibbs
69mins), Kirk Jackson, Adam Wilde, Lee Phillips (Lee Charles
22mins).
Subs not used : Simon Browne,
Francisco Ramos
Havant & W : Gareth Howells, Gavin Jones (Jamie
Campbell 45mins), Brett Poate, Neil Champion, Tom Jordan, Robbie
Pethick, Michael Gordon, Bobby Howe (David Town 45mins), Dean
Holdsworth, James Taylor (Gavin Holligan 45mins), Dean Blake.
Subs not used : Sam Pearce
Referee :
Wendy Toms
Bookings :
Weymouth :
Havant & W : (Robbie Pethick (foul), Neil Champion
(foul)
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