Chukki Chukki Bang Bang!
By Matt Pitman

Monday 17th October 2005

CHUKKI Eribenne's two-goal blast saw off Eastbourne Borough and extended Weymouth's unbeaten run to eight matches.

The striker netted either side of the break in this one-sided Conference South clash at the Wessex Stadium.

The Terras, who hammered 15 efforts on overworked Borough keeper Lee Hook's goal, coasted to the points against their south coast rivals and should have won by a greater margin.

Olllie Rowland's injury-time effort salvaged some pride for the miserable visitors who for long periods seemed set to be on the wrong end of a hiding.

Eribenne, who starred alongside strike partner Kirk Jackson, enjoyed arguably his best showing in two years at Radipole Lane.

A succession of managers have failed to get the best out of the enigmatic former Havant and Waterlooville man during that time.

But following Hill's appointment last March, Eribenne has been given a new lease of life and Eastbourne were left counting the cost.

The victory came in the first of four consecutive, home games which Weymouth must be relishing given their superb form at the Wessex.

Early on, the hosts created more openings than in the entirety of the previous week's FA Cup third qualifying round success over Bath City.

Less than 50 seconds had passed when Jackson sent Lee Elam away down the left with a superb pass which had Borough keeper Lee Hook hurtling from his area.

Elam, whose touch took it around the goalie, saw his shot blocked by visiting skipper Stuart Tuck on the line only for Jackson to fire the resulting clearance wide.

The home pressure continued to build as a lovely move down the right involving Steve Tully and Eribenne ended with Clark sending over an inch-perfect cross for Andy Harris.

It looked a goal all the way but unmarked Harris' could only plant his downward header into the turf with the ball bouncing up and over the bar.

Eribenne then had a couple of sighters as the oneway traffic continued.

The Terras fmally took a deserved lead on 24 minutes when Shaun Wilkinson's dangerous right-wing corner made its way through to Elam whose shot was brilliantly kept out by Hook only for Eribenne to ram home the rebound.

" Seconds after the restart Elam thought he was denied a penalty after his cross appeared to strike the arm of defender Stuart Playford

With the Terras having a field day; the chances continued to flow.

Excellent Eribenne, who worked tirelessly throughout, had a header cleared from under his own bar by Phil Warner.

Play was halted just before the break to allow repairs to a net at the car park end of the Wessex.

Once normal service resumed, Bound's header from Wilkinson's corner was deflected onto a post by Warner.

Weymouth felt they were denied a penalty in stoppage time when Eribenne claimed he was wrestled to the ground by marker Playford.

Any hopes the Sussex outfit may have had of getting back into it disappeared on 49 minutes when 'Eribenne secured the points with his second.

The powerful striker was found by Jackson, muscled his way past Tuck and Baker and rifled his shot into Hook's top right-hand corner from the edge of the area.

With the game appearing to be won, Hill's side took their foot off the pedal after that.

But Borough failed to take advantage and the best they could offer came when Brighton and Hove Albion loan midfielder Dean Cox drifted inside and fired just wide.

Wilkinson's set-pieces for the hosts were still looking dangerous and from one of his sweet deliveries, Boroughs' Playford nearly headed an own goal with 20 minutes left.

Another Wilkinson corner led to another Terras chance, this time Roy O'Brien's header being cleared off the line by Tuck.

Eribenne's best opening to clinch his hat-trick came in the last minute when he got on the end of a delivery from that man Wilkinson, but his header flashed wide.

Substitute Wayne Purser was denied a third for the hosts in stoppage time, when his unmarked header from Tully's cross was clawed away by Hook.

Deep into stoppage time, Eastbourne notched a flattering consolation when Mathews punched Warner's corner to Rowland 20 yards who chested the ball down and cracked a superb half-volley into the net.