Logan's run
By Adam Summers

Thursday 5th October 2006

RICHARD Logan grabbed his first goal of the season for Weymouth as they returned to third spot in the Nationwide Conference National table with another dogged performance at the Wessex Stadium last night.

In front of the Sky television cameras, the former Peterborough United forward hit the winner on 64 minutes when he put the finishing touch on a sweeping counter-attack in the second half which was set up by a fantastic 70-yard dash by winger Lee Elam.

But the Terras did not have everything their own way and for the second game in succession they fell behind when Charlie MacDonald beat the offside trap before applying a clinical finish past home keeper Aaron Lee-Barrett on 17 minutes.

That goal was wiped out just 60 seconds later when Weymouth skipper Ben Smith fired a stunning half-volley from distance over the head of Fleet's number one Lance Crown.

Terras' boss Garry Hill made three changes to his starting line-up with Logan, Shaun Wilkinson and Elam replacing Chukki Eribenne, Simon Weatherstone and Steve Tully but in the first half Gravesend fashioned the better chances.

Danny Slatter twice tested Lee-Barrett from distance and substitute Onome Sodje missed two great chances to put is side 2-1 ahead.

On 28 minutes the ex-Charlton trainee glanced a free header wide from just ten yards after a superb cross by the impressive Sacha Opinel.

He then followed that with a shot that had to be beaten away by Lee-Barrett at his near post just two minutes later.

The clever movement of MacDonald, who played a handful of games for the Terras towards the end of the 2004-05 season, caused the home defence a lot of problems in the early stages.

But after he had netted his tenth of the season and his strike partner Mark De Bolla had been replaced on 21 minutes due to injury, Gravesend lost some of their cutting edge.

Weymouth centre-backs Ray O'Brien and Tony James seemed to get to grips with MacDanald more and more as the game went on but one could only applaud the way he took his goal.

When the ex-Crawley Town forward received the ball everyone looked to the linesman far an offside flag but when it did not came, he caressed the ball past the covering Simon Downer before unleashing a shot into the left corner of the net from 15 Yards.

The goal came with Gravesend dawn to ten men with De Bolla receiving treatment an the sidelines after a strong tackle by Wilkinson.

Gravesend deserved their lead but it did not last long. Smith made sure of that with a looping strike from 25 yards that would have graced any football match.

From there Weymouth had the better of the ball but they failed to create much more before the break.

Wayne Purser, who netted twice in the Terras' previous game against St Albans City, got through a lot of work with his fellow front man Logan but neither was given much service.

Smith and Wilkinson also fought hard in the middle of midfield and the left-sided combination of full-back Abdol El Kholti and winger Dean Howell looked threatening but on the other side Elam had a tough time getting any joy out of Opinel..

After the break Smith tried to catch Crown off his line with a cheeky lob before Eribenne replaced Purser on 56 minutes.

Two minutes later, Wilkinson was booked for a late challenge and from the resulting free-kick which was pumped into the Weymouth box, the hosts broke away and scored.

Elam, who had been quiet, received the ball in his own half and carried it up the right flank to the edge of the Gravesend area.

He then squared it and after a delightful leave by Eribenne, Logan arrived to thrash the ball home with a splendid first-time finish.

The visitors predictably put on a third striker and threw everything forward in the later stages.

Paul McCarthy headed a corner wide and Sodje shot straight at Lee-Barrett but the Terras' defence held firm.

Hard work, passion, commitment and being clinical in front of goal is what won this game for Weymouth.

If they can now learn to retain the ball better and control matches for a longer period then the sky really is the limit for them in this division.