Cracking double for Terras
by Matt Pitman

Tuesday 29th March 2005

A stirring second half by Weymouth made it back-to-back wins for Garry Hill over a cracking Easter for the new boss.

Striker Kirk Jackson headed the Terras on their way to their second Conference South success in 72 hours, ending his recent mini-goal drought against his former club.

The hosts, for whom Jackson also missed a penalty, sealed the points thanks to defender Ryan Johnson's late own goal at the Wessex Stadium.

The defeat was hard to take for the play-off chasing Hornchurch who could have
been out of sight before the break had Terras keeper Francisco Ramos not been in top form.

But Weymouth weathered that storm and stepped on the gas after the break to make it two out of two for Hill.

Whatever the former Dagenham manager has said to his players since taking over last week, it has certainly done the trick.

The Terras have gone from looking like they had the weight of the world on their
shoulders to oozing confidence by the bucket load in a matter of days.

The victory moves Weymouth up to ninth and you just wonder what would have happened had Hill and company taken over a few months earlier.

Even without injured striker Chukki Eribenne, goal hero in Saturday's win at Maidenhead United, the hosts always looked threatening.

And credit for that has to go to defender Bradley Thomas who ran himself into the
ground partnering Jackson as a makeshift striker.

When this season's fixtures were drawn up last summer, Weymouth hosting Hornchurch was billed by many pundits as a potential Conference South title decider.

Off-the-field upheaval at both clubs put paid to that plan months ago, but you could have guessed otherwise in the early stages at the Radipole Lane venue.

Chances were at a premium during a cagey opening quarter, although Ian Hutchinson's header from Darren Wheeler's centre was deflected wide by
Matt Glynn.

Once things settled down Hornchurch took the game by the scruff of the neck but paid the price for failing to turn their pressure into goals.

Attacking trio Richard O'Connor, Andy Douglas and the impressive Glynn had the
hosts' rearguard working over-time to clear the danger.

Grant Cooper lashed over from a promising position after Jamie Southon headed down Terry Bowes' free kick.

Ramos, deputising again for the suspended Jason Matthews, then pulled off a
couple of superb stops to deny the Urchins.

The Portugese stopper first slid to block at the feet of former Arsenal striker Andy
Douglas who looked odds on to net as he skipped through.

Then Ramos was alert to claw away O'Connor's powerful header after Glynn skipped away and crossed down the right.

Things looked like they would continue in a similar vein after the interval when the lively Douglas latched on to Glynn's beautiful slide rule pass.

But there was Ramos to again come to the rescue and deny the Urchins striker.
Weymouth went straight up the other end and were a whisker away from scoring
themselves.

Wheeler supplied Jackson with another hanging cross, who nodded down for Dutton six yards out but keeper Micky Desborough was able to claw the ball away.

Impressed in midfield, clipped an inch perfect free kick into the box for Jackson to plant his header home.

Once the Terras went ahead, you never really doubted the result although there were a couple of nervy moments.

Urchins skipper Jamie Southon headed just wide after getting on the end of a high ball in a crowded area, then Glynn was furious not to be awarded a penalty following Brian Dutton's risky challenge.

Hill withdrew the hard-working Thomas on 74 minutes to a standing ovation and it took just three minutes for his replacement, Ludovic Cadima, to make an instant impact.

The nippy striker raced away after receiving Jackson's flick and still managed to get a shot in despite being hauled back by Johnson inside the area.

However, after consulting with his assistant, referee Guy Beale awarded a penalty for Jackson's shirt tugging earlier in the move.

Up stepped Jackson, who had gone eight games without a goal in open play before this one, but the striker blasted the ball well over Desborough's bar.

Weymouth didn't let that set-back worry them though and they sealed the points just five minutes later, thanks to some superb build up play by Ian
Hutchinson.

The veteran midfielder did brilliantly to work some space down the right channel and come back on his left foot before getting in an excellent cross.

His centre was met by Wheeler at the far post whose header looked goalbound,
before Johnson turned it home on his own line to secure another morale boosting win for Hill's side

Weymouth : Francisco Ramos, Dave Waterman, Charlie Welch, Bradley Thomas, Matt Bound, Roy O'Brien, Shaun Wilkinson, Ian Hutchinson, Kirk Jackson, Brian Dutton, Darren Wheeler

Subs : Simon Browne, Kieren Keane, Mark Boyce (for Wilkinson 83mins), Ludovic Cadima (for Thomas 74mins), Nick Carroll

Hornchurch : Micky Desborough, Grant Cooper, Andy Tomlinson, Ryan Johnson, Jamie Southon, Terry Bowes, Erick Kwakye, Danny Hill, Richard O'Connor, Matt
Glynn, Andy Douglas

Subs : Mark Burgess, Keith Martin (for O'Connor 78mins), Nana Badu (for Douglas 79mins), Sean Dear, Chris Stowe (for Kwakye 78mins)

Referee : Guy Beale

Bookings :

Weymouth : Wilkinson (foul), Thomas (foul)

Hornchurch : Glynn (diving), Tomlinson (dissent), Cooper (dissent)