Downer calls the Shots
By Matt Pitman

Wednesday 16th August 2006

WEYMOUTH'S dream start to the Conference National season contin­ued at .the Wessex Stadium last night.

Simon Downer's thumping 82nd minute strike ensured Garry Hill's Terras achieved a second successive win on their long-awaited return to non League's top flight.

After 17 years out of the divi­sion, Hill's men were expected to take time to find their feet at the higher level following last season's Conference South success.

But having put Tamworth to the sword last Saturday and now seeing off fancied Aldershot Town, all the pre season predictions have gone out the window.

And after such an impressively solid display against one of league's fancied clubs, who knows what the rest of the season will hold.

Boss Hill is naturally urging supporters to keep their feet on the ground despite the terrific start to the new campaign.

But based on this performance you couldn't blame the former Dagenham and Redbridge manager for thinking a play-off spot is a very real possibility this term.

With the greatest respect to all Weymouth's opponents in the last 17 years, but proper, top quality football finally returned to the Wessex Stadium last night.

The hosts were probably just about worthy winners of an enthralling encounter which really whetted the appetite for the coming months.

Downer's winner, which he lashed home from close range following Abdou El Kholti's corner, sent the home fans in a bumper crowd of 3,583 into a frenzy and prompted celebra­tions that continued long into the night.

Having been starved of Conference football for so long, the hosts were initially edgy and could have gone behind when keeper Aaron Lee-Barrett saved well to deny Shots striker Marcus Gayle.

But gradually Terras found their feet in a hard-fought opening period of few chances.

Winger Lee Elam cut in off the left flank but was blocked by Shots keeper Nikki Bull, then striker Raphael Nade failed to take advantage following a mix­up in the away defence.

Home midfielder Simon Weatherstone, who combined well with team-mate Ben Smith, saw a low drive saved low down by the scampering Bull mid-way through the half.

Big striker John Grant nearly opened the scoring for Aldershot when his header from Darren Barnard's corner crashed into Lee-Barrett's near-post side net­ting.

The strong, powerful sides cancelled each other out for the remainder of the tight half It was after the break that the majority of the chances arrived, with Nade wildly slicing wide after breaking into the Shots area on 52 minutes.

Weymouth endured a nervy 20 minute spell after that when the visitors wasted a number of golden opportunities to take the lead.

Grant planted a curling shot inches past Lee-Barrett's right ­hand post, then sent a close range header against the bar fol­lowing the dangerous Ryan Williams' centre.

With home fans becoming increasingly nervy, it was then the turn of Williams to some­how fail to hit the target from six yards moments later.

Home boss Hill responded by replacing striker Chukki Eribenne with subistuitite Richard Logan and the switch nearly proved inspired.

Elam sent the new man clear down the right, for the former Peterborough United striker to fizz a low drive just the wrong side of the post.

Aldershot substitute Ryan Scott drew a good save from Lee-Barratt as the contest entered the closing stages before Logan was again somehow denied by the acrobatic Bull who turned the striker's header over the bar.

But Weymouth were not to be denied however and, less than a minute later, were celebrating when Downer latched on to a loose ball in the box to power home the winner.