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Harris Howitzer Downs the Hawkes
By Matt Pitman
Monday 15th August 2005
ANDY Harris' got Weymouth's title challenge off to a flyer
with an opening day cracker at the Wessex Stadium.
The midfielder's stunning 69th minute free kick clipped the
Hawks' wings to earn the Terras their first Conference South
points of the season.
The summer signing from Chester City netted from fully 30yards
as the pre-season title favourites got their championship
challenge up and running.
There were opening day fireworks at Radipole Lane as both
sides finished a niggly and scrappy derby contest with ten
men.
Havant keeper Colin Matthews was controversially sent off
inside three minutes for a foul, while home winger Steve Clark
was also given his marching orders for a late lunge in the
second half.
And while the win was not overly convincing, Terras boss
Garry Hill won't be too worried about that.
Getting three points in the bag was the priority for the
former Hornchurch boss following a busy summer on and off
the park.
Hill handed full debuts to five of his close season signings,
Aaron Lee-Barrett, Trevor Challis, Andy Harris, Richie Hanlon
and Wayne Purser.
Chukki Eribenne partnered Purser up front, and the former
Hawk played a big part in reducing the visitors to ten men
inside three minutes.
The powerful striker was sent clear by Steve Tully's clearance
and as Hawks keeper Colin Matthews raced from goal, the striker
collapsed to the soggy turf 30 yards out.
Incredibly assistant referee Ken Horrigan signalled a foul
and the unlucky Matthews was given the red card to the delight
of the home crowd.
The decision infuriated the visitors with their manager,
lain Baird, sent to the stands after marching on to the pitch.
Playing against ten men, the home side looked to press home
their numerical advantage.
But they were continually frustrated by a dogged Havant rearguard
who packed men behind the ball to frustrate.
When Weymouth did find a way through, Purser fired wide after
wrestling past marker Neil Sharp and towering skipper Matt
Bound headed past Hawks substitute keeper's Gareth Howell's
right-hand post.
At the other end, home gloveman Aaron Lee-Barrett smartly
turned away a teasing corner from ex-Terra Robbie Pethick
who was involved in a series of bizarre shirt changes over
the course of the 90 minutes.
The former Portsmouth defender received a bloodied nose early
on after which referee Bill Lillington ordered him to change
his shirt a total of four times because of mix-ups over the
printed number.
Weymouth's best chance before the break fell to Purser when
he capitalised on a slip by defender Neil Sharp but screwed
his low shot wide.
Ten-man Havant nearly took a shock lead after the restart
when Lee-Barrett saved well from Neil Sharp's close range
header.
The Terras lost their extra man on 56 minutes when winger
Clark was sent off for clumsily lunging late on Brett Poate
in a bid to regain possession out wide.
Now ten versus ten, the game started to turn in the hosts'
favour and they should have taken the lead moments after Clark's
dismissal.
Purser did well to wriggle to the byline down the right before
sending an inviting ball fizzing across goal.
His pass found winger Adam Wilde at the far post who appeared
to have the simple job of just side-footing home.
Somehow though the former Worcester City man managed to scuff
his effort wide from six yards out.
But Weymouth. made amends for that miss just six minutes
later.
Eribenne was fouled 30 yards out and up stepped Harris to
flight an inch-perfect free kick over Havant's wall and past
a helpless Howells to put the Terras ahead.
The goal gave Hill's troops added confidence and they never
looked like letting that lead slip after that.
They did have a minor scare though when Poate fired in a
well-struck left-footed free kick with 15 minutes left, but
Lee-Barrett got down well to smother the danger.
Hill replaced hardworking strike pair Purser and Eribenne
with Dan Webb and Kirk Jackson to help run down the clock.
The only sour note came moments before the final whistle
when defender Steve Tully needed treatment for a head wound,
which later required five stitches.
Weymouth : Lee-Barrett,
Tully, Challis, Bound, O'Brian, Harris, Clark, Hanlon, Eribenne
(Webb 81 mins), Purser (Jackson 81 mins), Wilde (Wilkinson
75 mins) Unused Subs: Wheeler, Matthews
Havant & Waterlooville :
Matthews, Champion, Poate, Collins (Wallis-Taylor 85 mins),
Jordan, Sharp, Dacruz, Pethick (Pitcher 68 mins), Town, Holdsworth,
Davis (Howells 3 mins) Unused Subs: Flack, Awford
Bookings :
Weymouth : None
Havant & Waterlooville : Collins, Poate, Pitcher, Jordan
Sent Off :
Weymouth : Clark
Havant & Waterlooville : Matthews
Referee : Bill Lillington
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