Forest farce
By Adam Summers

FOREST Green were allowed to run riot at the Wessex Stadium last night as Weymouth sunk to new lows in front of a disconsolate home crowd.

The Terras looked grossly short of confidence and belief as a catalogue of defensive errors allowed their opponents to cruise to the most comfortable of victories.

But perhaps the most alarming aspect of the home side's debacle was the lack of leadership, spirit and passion in their ranks.

All three of those are vital ingredients for any team hoping to be successful and particularly for those fighting relegation.

Weymouth boss John Hollins made three changes to the starting XI that lost 2-1 at Halifax Town on Saturday with Justin Roberts, Paolo Vernazza and Jake Hyde replacing Moses Swaibu, suspended striker Stuart Beavon and on-loan winger Jack Compton, whose deal has now expired.

New loan signing Chris Blackburn was named as a substitute alongside Jason Matthews, Franklin Anzite, Michael Malcolm and James Coutts but there was no place in the squad for skipper Simon Weatherstone whose armband went to Marcus Browning.

Roberts' long clearance allowed Hyde to break and when he laid the ball off to Nick Crittenden he struck over the bar from 20 yards.

But Forest Green soon hit back by taking the lead on four minutes. There seemed no danger when home defender Magnus Okuonghae picked up the ball in his own half but he took too much time to clear and that allowed Stuart Fleetwood to nick the ball off him, go round keeper Stephen Henderson and tap into an empty net.

Amazingly that was the Blue Square Premier leading scorer's first goal in 2008 but his 29th competitive strike of the campaign.

To their credit the Terras responded well and on ten minutes they had a chance to level when Anton Robinson put a fine low cross along the six-yard box that Hyde turned against a post from just a few yards out when he should have scored.

Hyde had another effort on 20 minutes that was easily gathered by keeper Terry Burton before Forest Green threatened at the other end when Alex Lawless broke down the left and crossed for Fleetwood, who was thwarted at the near post by a superb block tackle from Kyle Critchell.

Hyde certainly looked lively for Weymouth and on 29 minutes he managed to get on the end of a cross from Trevor Challis but his header went straight at Burton.

In terms of possession the game was fairly even but on 36 minutes the Terras conceded a second. Simon Clist put a fine corner into the near post and defender Darren Jones rose highest to flick the ball over Henderson and into the net.

It was a good training ground move by the visitors but for Hollins it was another defensive disaster. The Terras' boss was clearly upset by the ease in which the big defender was allowed to be first to the ball.

Then in first-half added time Rovers grabbed another when Roberts stumbled and failed to intercept a through ball by Jones that found Fleetwood, who again slotted the ball home.

After the interval Anthony Tonkin tested Henderson from 20 yards before the Terras created an opening when Tony Bedeau pulled the ball back to Robinson whose shot was pushed over the top by Burton.

But just when the home side looked like they may put up some sort of fight, Forest Green made it 4-0 on 52 minutes.

Fleetwood did well to engineer his way to the right by-line and when he put the ball across the box Adriano Rigoglioso was on hand to slide in his first goal of the season.

Four minutes later Swindon Town defender Blackburn replaced Roberts and from the following corner the hosts managed to force the ball towards the target at the near post but Burton made a fine save.

Substitute Malcolm then had a shot deflected inches wide of a post for the Terras before a goal-mouth scramble saw a Rovers' defender make a desperate clearance close to his own line.

That was the hosts' best period of pressure but it came to an end on 78 minutes when a fantastic run and cross by Forest Green substitute and former Terra Ishmael Welsh set up Rigoglioso, who side-footed home the fifth.

The Weymouth fans were now in total disbelief and three minutes later they watched another fly in which was the pick of the bunch.

There seemed to be no danger when Rigoglioso picked up the ball 25 yards out but he thundered a shot in off the underside of the bar to complete his hat-trick.

Welsh had a great chance to add another in the dying stages but his shot found the hands of Henderson much to the relief of the Weymouth bench.

The home faithful, along with Terras officials, trudged away looking very disheartened at the end of the game and who could blame them?

Hollins' men had performed woefully and if they are to remain in the Blue Square Premier next season they are going to have to raise their game ten-fold and do it quickly.