Craig's cracker
By Matt Pitman

Wednesday 11th January 2006

RECALLED striker Craig O'Connor fired Terras to the top of the Conference
South table by netting his side's winner at Farnborough last night.

O'Connor staked a claim for a permanent starting place with a first half goal to halt Weymouth's run of back-to-back league defeats.

The scoreline suggests a hard-fought affair in North Hampshire but in truth Garry Hill's men were always in command.

Defeats at Dorchester and Havant and Waterlooville made a result at Cherrywood Road crucial for the title-chasing Terras, who had slipped to third in the table. "

And they didn't disappoint their large away following, thanks to solid defending, in particular from superb centre half Simon Downer, and a rare goal from a striker.

Saturday's reversal at Havant prompted Hill to ring the changes and they worked a treat.

Downer slotted into the heart of defence, with Roy O'Brien moved to play alongside ever-present Andy Harris in midfield. Winger John McGrath showed
up well on his debut while O'Connor sent a message to his manager that he is worth keeping faith in by running himself into the ground up front.

From the moment the former Thurrock striker stooped to head home from six yards on 29 minutes, the result was never in doubt.

The pattern for the night was set in the opening few minutes as Weymouth adopted a high-energy game all over the pitch.

The pressing tactic nearly paid off when Eribenne hounded defender Jay Gasson before sending O'Connor away who drew a good save from home keeper Kevin Scriven.

Farnborough midfielder Ashley Sestanovich, a one-time Terras target, showed up well in the early stages, spraying a couple of mouth-watering passes out wide.

The former Sheffield United youngster, who once acted as Thierry Henry's body double in a television commercial, had a decent opening on 11 minutes but failed to test Matthews from 18-yards.

Hill's full-timers forced eight corners before the break. From one hanging Andy Harris delivery, Gasson was forced into a last-ditch headed clearance.

Farnborough, surely one of the tallest sides Terras will face this season, conceded plenty of free kicks out wide but the visitors couldn't capitalise.

Visiting keeper Matthews was hardly tested although he did have one of only a few anxiousmoments when Carl Gibbs's effort went close from range. Most of the action was at the other end as another good Gasson clearance denied the lurking O'Connor from McGrath's clipped centre.

But on 29 minutes O'Connor was celebrating in usual flamboyant style when he deservedly put Weymouth ahead.

Harris's left wing corner was only half cleared to O'Brien on the edge of the area whose ball back into the danger zone was superbly headed home by O'Connor.

Congested

As usual, the stocky striker celebrated his achievement with a series of somersaults.

The rest of the play before the interval was mainly confined to a congested midfield although Downer did well to clear Sestanovich's centre and Gasson
repeated the trick at the other end to deny Eribenne.

Farnborough substitute Matt Warner should have pulled his side level early in the second half. But instead of celebrating a goal, home fans watched the striker's lofted drive sail halfway to Aldershot.

With McGrath lively wide on the left for Weymouth, another goal for the visitors looked likely. After Eribenne was foiled by Gasson, it nearly arrived courtesy of the right-boot of the debutant.

Steve Clark did brilliantly to skin marker Sean Hankin down the right and cross for O'Connor who touched off for McGrath to thump his drive against the bar from the edge of the area.

The ball then agonisingly bounced down on the hosts' goaline before being scrambled clear.

You worried at this point that, like after Jackson's shot hit the bar at Havant last Saturday, the home side would make the Terras pay.

But the away side need not have worried as Farnborough lacked any cutting edge.

It was only in the last few minutes that Frank Gray's men started to turn up the pressure as Gibbs thrashed his shot into the advertising hoardings.

Substitute Michael Charles wasted Farnborough's best chance of rescuing a point with 15 minutes left.

The unmarked striker got on the end of Warner's deep free kick at the far post but his header lacked power and Matthews gratefully gobbled up possession.