Terras get reality check
By Adam Summers

Monday 20th November 2006

THE Terras entered this game on cloud nine but they were dealt a reality check by a York side who thoroughly deserved the three points.

The previous weekend the Dorset outfit received plaudits from some of the best known names in the sport after claiming a fine 2-2 televised draw against League Two side Bury in the first round of the FA Cup.

The club was then boosted further by the news that boss Garry Hill and his assistant Kevin Hales had signed new contracts until 2010.

So there was plenty for the Weymouth fans to be happy about at 3pm on Saturday but unfortunately the men in claret and blue could not continue the positive trend on the pitch.

Goalkeeper Jason Matthews made his first start of the season and it was his error at a corner that led to the Minstermen's winner. But this was not an afternoon for pointing the finger of blame at any one individual in particular. Collectively the Terras were poor, it was as simple as that.

Stretched

The hosts never looked comfortable in possession throughout the 90 minutes and because of that they brought problems upon themselves. For much of the game they lacked quality in the final third and even their normally rock solid defence got stretched on several occasions.

But this setback should not be dwelled upon or blown out of proportion. The Terras may have lost their last two in the league and had their unbeaten home run taken away from them but they are still third and on course for another great season.

The true test now is how they react from here. The top teams in any league seem to be able to bounce back quickly and that is what Hill will no doubt be expecting from his players over the next week.

Regular number one Arran Lee-Barrett, who was blamed by many onlookers for the Shakers' leveller in Weymouth's previous game, was dropped to the bench by Hill, whose hand was pretty much forced due to injuries to Simon Downer, Nick Crittenden, Dean Howell and Chukki Eribenne.

As well as Matthews, Steve Tully, Shaun Wilkinson and Wayne Purser were also called in while Raphael Nade started on the bench.

Despite a couple of positive forays into the visitors' half, Weymouth were made to chase the ball by the Minstermen in the early exchanges. Visiting full-back Martin Woolford lashed an effort wide from 17 yards before Neal Bishop was then caught just offside after a fine through ball.

The offside flag, which was raised ten times in the opening 20 minutes, did not help the flow of the game but on 22 minutes the hosts nearly took the lead. Skipper Ben Smith set up Purser whose close-range strike was superbly tipped around a post by Tom Evans.

Sudddenly Weymouth had begun to show a bit more promise but neither side really produced the quality in the first half needed to break the deadlock.

The Terras clearly required more width and it was no sur-prise to see Hill push Abdou El Kholti on to the left wing and replace Wilkinson with full-back Trevor Challis at the start of the second period.

But despite the switch Weymouth continued to struggle to hold on to the ball and get their most influential players into the game. Encouraged by that City moved up a gear and after Woolford went close they finally broke the deadlock on the hour.

The Terras seemed to go to sleep as Clayton Donaldson ran clear and tested Matthews, who made a good stop. Unfortunately for the hosts the ball ran loose giving Emmanuel Panther the easy task of tapping home into an empty net.

York should have put the game beyond Weymouth after that but poor finishing by Dave McGurk and Steve Bowey allowed the hosts to level against the run of play on 71 minutes when Purser latched on to El Kholti's fine pass and lifted the ball over the onrushing Evans.

That goal lifted Weymouth's supporters but their team was still failing to preserve possession so eight minutes later Purser was taken off and replaced by the more defensively minded Jason Tindall.

Hill was clearly looking to hold on for a point but on 81 minutes his hopes of doing that were shattered when Matthews came for a corner he was never going to get and gifted Jason Goodliffe an open goal which he duly headed into at the far post.

York should have gone an to get a third but Craig Farrell some-how blazed the ball over the bar from seven yards when it looked easier to score.