No final flourish
By Nigel Biddlecombe

Monday 30th April 2007

DISAPPOINTING finishing cost the Terras as relegated Saints grabbed their first win in 16 games at Clarence Park.

Jason Tindall's men had two goals' disallowed and wasted a couple of good chances before Djoumin Sangare struck what proved to be the winner on 57 minutes.

Raphael Nade then failed with a good opportunity to level before the final whistle brought to an end what has been a rollercoaster season for both clubs in Nationwide Conference National.

Weymouth were forced to make three changes to their starting XI with injured pair Nick Crittenden and Conal Platt, and the suspended Brian Dutton all missing out. Tony James was also unavailable so Tindall's squad was stretched to its limit.

Defender Ashley Vickers returned from suspension and striker Stuart Beavon was drafted in after missing his side's previous game due to tonsillitis. The ex-Didcot Town man, along with Nade, was not fully fit. Matthew Hartmann was also handed a rare start.

The Terras began well and in the opening minutes a long pass from visiting skipper Trevor Challis nearly presented a good chance for Nade. The Carlisle United loanee took advantage of some confusion between Bastock and his centre-half Ben Martin but he was unable to get the ball under control on what was a hard surface. Martin recovered and cleared the danger.

Unfortunately for the Terras the assistant's flag was raised presumably on the grounds that the ball had crossed the goal-line just before Coutts put it into the box.

Four minutes later Narada Bernard and Hartmann set up another chance for Beavon but this time his effort lacked power and was comfortably dealt with by Bastock.

The visitors then experienced a major scare when St Albans had their first real break of the half as Lee Clarke found space to power in a header from Ahmed Deen's cross. Fortunately for the Terras the ball bounced over the crossbar.

Beavon put the ball past Bastock for a second time on 35 minutes but once again the assistant's flag came to the basement boys' rescue. The effort came after another fine cross by Coutts but the offside decision looked a fair one.

As the half wore on Weymouth seemed to become stronger but they were unable to make their superiority count and indeed it was City who had the final say before the interval when Clarke lashed a shot over the bar after some neat work by Matt Hann.

With the wind and sloping pitch in their favour in the second half, the home side began to put some sustained pressure on the Terras.

Deen had a 35-yard effort punched away by Matthews before Challis made a good interception to clear Chris Seeby's cross.

The Terras' opening chance of the half came on 53 minutes when Nade freed Beavon on the left. He cut across the edge of the box before leaving the ball for Simon Weatherstone whose shot flew wide.

A goal seemed to be on the cards and on 57 minutes it was the Saints who broke the deadlock. Matt Hann put over a wind-assisted corner from the left and when Matthews was only able to push it on to the bar, Sangare was there to turn in the rebound with his thigh.

To their credit the visitors responded well and should have levelled with 18 minutes remaining when Bernard and Beavon combined to set up Nade but the striker's close range effort was saved by Bastock.

Weatherstone went on to shoot wide in added-on time but that was all the Terras could muster in the final stages.