Ooh, la la Raphael
by Matt Pitman

Monday 6th August 2006

Should league leaders Weymouth clinch the Conference South title as expected, they'll owe loan star Raphael Nade a huge debt of gratitude.

The Carlisle United striker continued his rich scoring form with a hat-trick against
basement boys Newport County at the Wessex Stadium.

The Frenchman, 25, took his Terras goal tally to six in five starts with a dazzling all-round display of finishing, pace and trickery.

While Nade's terrific form on the south coast will be noticed at Brunton Park, Weymouth boss Garry Hill will surely be hoping the ex-Woking star can be persuaded to stay beyond the end of March.

Following Nade's treble, substitute Chukki Eribenne rounded off the scoring in a match where the gulf in class was all too apparent.

Newport were rated beforehand as 10-1 outsiders to topple the league leaders and, as ever, the bookies were spot on.

Peter Beadle's visitors might have conceded ten rather than four had their goalkeeper Tony Pennock not been in inspired form.

The former Yeovil Town gloveman made save after save as Terras, particularly in the first half, produced one of their best performances on home turf this season.

Hill, fast approaching his first anniversary at Weymouth, named the same starting line-up for the third consecutive game and those selected were simply irresistible in the first 45 minutes.

The flurry of efforts on Pennock's goal started within five minutes with Andy Harris dipping volley swerving just over the bar.

Striker Kirk Jackson was denied moments later by Pennock's legs, after the striker latched on to midfielder Ben Smith's pass, before the hosts went ahead on 11 minutes.

Pennock's poor punch following Shaun Wilkinson's corner from the left was seized on by Smith who found Nade in a crowded area to bury the ball in the back of the net from 12 yards.

As an attacking force, Newport were pretty non-existent, although striker Craig Hughes nearly equalised on 19 minutes, only for Terras defender Simon Downer to clear the danger.

The rest of the half consisted of Weymouth creating chances, mainly through crosses from Wilkinson and the excellent Steve Clark.

Nade was denied a second by Pennock having skinned defender Ian Hillier,before Wilkinson just failed to turn the ball into an empty net from the tightest of angles.

Pennock continued his one-man show - saving from Harris' volley and then twoclose-range headers by the rejuvenated Clark.

Newport wasted probably their only decent chance of the half a minute before the interval, and it came back to haunt them less than 60 seconds later.

Exiles' skipper Jason Bowen failed to hit the target from six yards from Paul Cochlin's flick before Weymouth launched a swift counter through Clark who found the galloping Nade.

Over-worked

The pacy striker beat last-man Andy Legg before coolly tucking his shot past Pennock to make it 2-0.

In stoppage time Smith's well-struck shot was well held by the over-worked Pennock to close a storming first period.

The second half opened with Bowen heading a good chance wide for Newport, before Terras defender Trevor Challis needed a lengthy dose of treatment after colliding with a perimeter wall when chasing a loose ball.

The full-back was soon back in action and it wasn't long before Nade deservedly clinched the matchball with his and Weymouth's third.

The striker headed past Pennock and three Newport defenders on the line after being found by Harris who returned Wilkinson's corner back into the danger zone.

Nathan Davis almost pulled one back for the struggling visitors before Nade nearly turned provider, sending Smith away, but the midfielder couldn't con-
vert despite rounding Pennock.

That proved the last action of the afternoon for the popular striker who was withdrawn on 69 minutes to a standing ovation from the home crowd.

And it took Nade's replacement, Chukki Eribenne, just eight minutes to get on the score-sheet himself.

A lovely diagonal pass from Clark sent the former AFC Bournemouth man away and Eribenne was up to the task with the finish.

By now it was stroll in the park time for Weymouth but they stepped it up a gear late on and nearly added a fifth with six minutes left.

Another incisive ball by Clark was brilliantly dummied by substitute Dean Holdsworth, who came on the last 25 minutes, for Eribenne but his shot was blocked by the legs of Pennock.