Beavon's breakthrough
By Ky Capel

WEYMOUTH recorded their first league win since the opening game of the season with a 2-0 defeat of Ebbsfleet United at the Wessex Stadium.

Stuart Beavon's first of the campaign and Jefferson Louis' free-kick secured all three points for the Terras who have now gone four games unbeaten.

After three successive draws Jason Tindall's side showed their winning intent after just two minutes when Anton Robinson played in Beavon, but the striker dithered on the ball before returning it back to Robinson, whose shot hit the side netting.

Beavon then found himself all alone in the box five minutes later but the header was a difficult one, which he couldn't divert on target. Jason Matthews was forced into action after a quarter of an hour when Liam Coleman found space on the right-side of the box. The midfielder's effort across goal was blocked by the feet of the Weymouth stopper.

After the resulting corner was cleared the Terras broke with purpose. James Coutts raided down the right and drilled the ball low across the Ebbsfleet box to find Robinson at the back stick on his own, but the midfielder's effort was well saved by keeper Lance Cronin for a corner.

The Fleet stopper frustrated Robinson for a second time when, after a great through pass from Beavon, the Terras man timed his run to perfection, unfortunately his shot wasn't and Cronin got down well to smother the ball.

Chris McPhee could have put the visitors ahead but after beating Joel Kitamirike in the air, his misplaced header failed to trouble Matthews on 22 minutes.

Beavon showed his desire to get off the mark but was agonisingly denied by the post in the 37th minute. Platt did well to find his team-mate lurking on the edge of
the - box. The Terras' number 10 then twisted and turned before unleashing a shot which appeared to take a slight deflection on its way to hitting the inside of the woodwork.

The Wessex faithful's celebrations proved premature as the ball rolled back across the goal line and then put out for a corner.

That set-piece was cleared before Coutts won another on the right. Platt's ball in was then met by a surging Beavon, who rose high to power the ball into Cronin's top corner and give the hosts a deserved lead.

Ex-Terra Raphael Nade was introduced at the interval as Liam Daish made two changes to try and stem the Weymouth tide.

And the tide did slow as the Terras looked content to keep a hold of their lead. The first 25 minutes of the second half were rather scrappy with four bookings, from a rather fussy referee, the only real talking points.

Skipper Simon Weatherstone, Beavon, Louis and Fleet full-back Sancha Opinel all entered Andrew Bennett's book.

Then in the 71st minute Robinson almost, rather bizarrely, extended the home side's advantage. Good work by Beavon down the left saw visiting captain Paul McCarthy attempt to clear, but his swipe at the ball struck Robinson and the rebound fell harmlessly over Cronin's bar to spare the blushes of the visiting skipper.

Ebssfleet threatened on occasions in the second period but Weymouth always looked the more dangerous on the counter attack. A perfect example saw Coutts go close thanks to great skill by Beavon.

And the Terras made the game safe in the 84th minute thanks to Louis' fourth goal in three games. The big striker won a free-kick 20 yards out for a high-foot.

The 28-year-old then stepped up and drilled his shot low under the Fleet wall to beat Cronin's out-stretched hand.