Terras cut Bloods' supply
By Ky Capel

WEYMOUTH took a big step towards safety with victory over bottom club Droylsden at the Wessex Stadium.

The three points, coupled with defeats for relegation rivals Halifax, Farsley Celtic and Northwich Victoria, sees the Terras move out of the Blue Square Premier drop-zone and up to 18th place.

Stuart Beavon hit his first league goal since September, ironically against Droylsden, to set the hosts on their way only to see Jamie McGuire equalise for the Bloods.

But Anton Robinson had the Wessex faithful jumping for joy when he pounced to secure the win. Weymouth had Mark Convery dismissed late on for violent conduct but held on despite the one-man disadvantage.

Trevor Challis passed a late fitness test on his calf injury to allow manager John Hollins to pick the same XI that drew at Crawley Town on Saturday.

The Terras made a positive start to the game but had to overcome a slight lapse in concentration when Terry Fearns almost caught keeper Stephen Henderson unawares with a volleyed effort from 20 yards, however, the home stopper was in the right place to get a hand to the shot and collect.

But the Cambridge United loanee saw his effort blocked by the onrushing Paul Phillips before the rebound fell to skipper Simon Weatherstone whose low shot was blocked on the line.

Dale Johnson, minutes before leaving the field injured, sliced a good opportunity wide just three minutes before the Terras opened the scoring.

A Weatherstone corner was cleared but returned to the Weymouth captain by Robinson. Weatherstone's centre was nodded down by Matt Bailey where Beavon controlled before firing low past the dive of Phillips.

The goal gave the Terras a massive lift, and midway through the half confident play involving one-touch passing from Convery, Robinson and Beavon resulted in the latter cracking a shot towards goal which was deflected out for a corner.

Challis had to be on guard to block Chris Denham's strike following Fearns' cut back.

Convery then saw another effort thwarted by Phillips just before the half-hour mark and minutes later the visitors found parity after a defensive lapse.

A Cruyff-esque turn from Fearns, on the left side of the Weymouth box, took Kyle Critchell and James Coutts out of the equation and he was able to pull the ball back for the unmarked McGuire who smashed home.

The closest Weymouth came to restoring the advantage was via Critchell. The right-back danced his way to the edge of the Droy-lsden area, cut in on his left foot, but saw his shot take a deflection before bouncing agonisingly wide.

The second period was less eventful but the Terras did see a half-chance from Bailey blocked in front of the goal-line and Convery's 20-yard strike force an excellent save from Phillips.

The Bloods offered little threat to Henderson's goal while at the other end Weatherstone couldn't repeat his wonder strike from the weekend when his 30-yard volley went wide of goal.

Beavon, boosted by his earlier goal, would have notched his second of the game had it not been for Steve Halford's intervention on 71 minutes.

And the Terras went even closer to getting the all-important second when Challis sent a brilliant cross over from the left.

But Bailey, after stooping to get a header on the cross, saw his effort come back off the left-hand post.

The home fans did not have long to wait though, as two minutes later the goal finally arrived. Coutts, on his 21st birthday, burst from midfield and played a one-two with Beavon, which left the midfield man with just Phillips to beat.

Droylsden's keeper was equal to the shot but could only watch as the rebound fell to the unmarked Robinson who nodded the ball into an empty net.

The pressure cooker increased with ten minutes to go when Convery saw red. Denham's late challenge upset Convery who retaliated with a mild slap to the face. And although Denham made a meal of the contact, Convery was seen to have raised his hands.

Droylsden failed to capitalise. The resultant free-kick almost deceived Henderson and just dropped over the crossbar while a low driven shot from Colin Cryan, in stoppage time, was easily dealt with by Henderson.<