Chukki keeps Terras flying
By Matt Pitman

Monday 2nd January 2006

WEYMOUTH brought the curtain down on 2005 with a tenth consecutive Conference South victory.

Goals from Lee Elam, Andy Harris and Chukki Eribenne were enough to see off a plucky Bishop's Stortford side at the Wessex Stadium.

The Terras success, coupled with Havant and Waterlooville's defeat at St Albans City, ensured the Dorset club head into today's derby with Dorchester four points clear at the top of the table with three games in hand on the second place Hawks.

In truth, Garry Hill's leaders were nowhere near their best in beating the Hertfordshire strugglers.

The hosts were thankful to three superb goals for sealing the points, including Eribenne's late cracker.

The Terras top scorer and Dorset Echo man-of-the-match notched his ninth of the season from the tightest of angles.

Perhaps with one eye on today's Ridgeway clash, Hill made a couple of changes to his starting line-up.

Kirk Jackson, without a goal in ten games, was replaced by Craig O'Connor and winger Adam Wilde made his first Terras start since September 10.

With confidence brimming after their Boxing Day win over the Magpies, Weymouth opened brightly.

Brian Dutton, who scored the winner early against Dorchester, nearly repeated the trick when his volley from the edge of the area which flew inches over the
top after five minutes.

Moments later the midfielder released Wilde down the left who rode a couple of challenges before teeing up Harris on the
edge of the area.

Harris, the only ever present Terra this season, saw his well-struck shot drift just wide of Stortford keeper Andy Young's far post.

The visitors, without an away win since August, survived further when Rob Gillman's crucial last-ditch challenge denied O'Connor just inside the box.

But too often in the opening quarter, loose passing and a lack of sharpness let Weymouth down.

That was typified on 20 minutes when the Terras failed to clear their lines from Louie Evans' right wing cross.

Striker Steve Morison took advantage by feeding Alex Martin whose low daisy-cutter crept just wide.

But then, almost out of the blue, Weymouth took the lead with their first shot on target.

Jason Matthews' huge punt downfield after 22 minutes was controlled superbly by Elam who fed Eribenne 30 yards out before receiving the return pass.

Elam hit the gas to sprint past a couple of visiting defenders before coolly slotting past Young.

Despite taking the lead, there were still a few nervy moments for the host's normally dependable rearguard.

Seconds after the restart, Stortford skipper David Rainford was allowed time and space to fire in a shot that had Matthews scrambling.

Astheinterval approached, the Terras got better and Eribenne nearly doubled their advantage when his sharp turn and shot was saved by Young.

Weymouth's improvement was marked with a second goal six minutes before the break, a strike that owed a great deal to the returning Wilde.

The winger set off on a strong run down the left, before sending over a crossfield pass to Dutton on the right flank.

He fed Harris 25-yards out who let fly with an unstoppable first time rocket past Young and into the net.

With rain lashing down on the Wessex Stadium, things almost got even worse for the Middlesex outfit seconds before the break. Steve Tully made a galloping
run down the right before his deflected shot spun behind.

The visiting Blues were more adventurous in the second half and wasted a golden opportunity to get back into the contest five minutes after the restart.
Matthews' poor clearance was collected by Duane Jackman whose strong run was ended by a last-ditch challenge from Dutton.

Bravely

The loose ball ran kindly for the unmarked Morison six yards out and it looked odds-on that Stortford would pull a goal back.

But Matthews atoned for his mistake by diving bravely to block at the feet of the attacker. After those two huge let-offs, Weymouth should have had the points in the bag two minutes later.

Eribenne and Elam combined down the right for the latter to surge to the byline and cross invitingly for O'Connor.

But just eight yards out, the former Thurrock striker could only blaze over to the frustration of the home crowd.

Stortford pressed for a way back into the contest - Gillman sending a first-time volley straight down the throat of Matthews and Evans heading Martin's cross just wide.

Hill made a double change on 65 minutes with Shaun Wilkinson and Simon Downer coming on for Elam and Roy O'Brien.

The substitutions did little to alter the pattern of play with the visitors continuing to call the tune without really troubling Matthews.

Third substitute Jackson was given a run-out in the last quarter of an hour in place of O'Connor.

Stortford deservedly got back into it with 18 minutes left, albeit in fortunate circumstances. Morison released the unmarked Evans who forced his way into the area and collapsed to the sodden turf under Wilde's challenge.

Referee Newell had no hesitation in awarding the penalty from which excellent skipper Rainford sent Matthews the wrong way.

With ten minutes remaining their were a few nerves jangling among the home support.

But they needn't have worried as Eribenne restored their side's two- goal advantage out of nothing seconds later.

The powerful striker beat keeper Young in the race for possession wide on the right, rounded the gloveman and superbly netted from what seemed an impossible angle.

And Eribenne nearly grabbed another stunner in the closing minutes, fizzing a stinging shot just wide after a trademark powerful run down the left channel.