Marston misery
by Nigel Biddlecombe

Monday 6th November 2006

THE Terras suffered from a lack of firepower as their seven-game unbeaten run came to an end at Marston Road.

The visitors made four changes to their starting line-up with Steve Tully, Simon Weatherstone, Nick Crittenden and Richard Logan replacing Simon Downer, Shaun Wilkinson, Dean Howell and Raphael Nade.

Striker Chukki Eribenne was initially included on the bench but he sustained an injury in the warm-up so Abdou El Kholti stepped into his spot.

Both sides created chances in the early exchanges. Weatherstone, Crittenden and Logan all went close for the Terras while Neil Grayson - the oldest play in the Conference at 42 - found room to fire in two attempts which failed to trouble visiting keeper Aaron Lee-Barrett.

Pressure

It was Weymouth who settled quicker and they soon began to dictate the game with Lee Elam providing a constant threat down the left flank. However, the Dorset side was unable to turn their pressure into goals.

Elam's fine runs created opportunities for Ben Smith and Wayne Purser. He also saw one of his own efforts cleared off the line by Liam Murray.

Danny Alcock, in the Rangers' goal, saved well from Smith before Lee-Barrett was forced into a save when he dived at the feet of Nathan Talbott.

Smith called Alcock into action again in the 32nd minute but once again the home custodian matched the Weymouth skipper's effort by producing a fine stop.

Despite looking in control, Weymouth conceded five min-utes later when Guy Madjo muscled past defender Ashley Vickers and crossed for Robin Gibson. The visiting defence was no where to be seen as the Stafford midfielder fired home from ten yards.

The Terras were clearly shaken by that and on 41 minutes they suffered further misery when Trevor Challis fouled Danny Edwards in the penalty area. Grayson stepped up and sent Lee-Barrett the wrong way with the resultant spot-kick to net his ninth of the season.

To their credit, Weymouth rallied before the break and were unlucky not to cut the deficit. Craig Lovatt cleared a shot from Crittenden off the line and when the ball fell nicely for Elam his 20-yard effort rebounded off a post. Vickers then followed up but his header flew wide.

Stafford emerged from the dressing room for the second half a far more resolute side than in the first and they soon set about frustrating their opponents.

The Terras struggled to make any real impact on the home defence although Rangers rarely troubled Lee-Barrett at the other end either.

Despite being two goals down, Weymouth stuck to their beliefs and continued to play the better football but they were unable to get that all-important goal which would have got them back into the game.

Alcock, who was voted man of the match by the game's sponsors, was called upon to save well from Smith and substitute Shaun Wilkinson while Edwards and Grayson both shot wide for Stafford.

In a game played in good spirit without a serious foul, the referee still managed to award 27 free-kicks and caution Weymouth men Tully and Vickers.

Ex-Terra Anton Joseph, who travelled from his home in Telford to see his old club in action for the first time since he left in May 1981, thought Weymouth had played all the entertaining football but seemed to lack a passion to win the game.

He also said that the Terras had let themselves down when attempting the all-important killer ball in the final third of the pitch.

Many of the Weymouth supporters at the game would have probably agreed with Joseph especially after the perform-ance in the second half.