Here’s to you, Anton Robinson
By Adam Summers

MIDFIELDER Anton Robinson hit a dramatic late winner as Weymouth got their Blue Square Premier campaign off to the perfect start at the Wessex Stadium on Saturday.

The youngster fired home with two minutes remaining after Tom Kearney's deflected effort had wiped out James Coutts' opener.

That effort was exactly what the Terras deserved. They dominated possession for much of the game and they created a lot more chances than their opponents, whose physical approach was somewhat predictable.

Weymouth manager Jason Tindall chose to include four of his summer acquisitions in his starting line-up. New defenders Kyle Critchell and Justin Roberts began at the back with recently appointed skipper Simon Weatherstone and player-assistant manager Marcus Browning lined up in central midfield with playmaker Paolo Vernazza.

In attack, Conal Platt was preferred to Jefferson Louis and Stuart Douglas as Stuart Beavon's strike partner. Louis and Douglas began on the bench with fellow new boy Gavin McCallum, who completed his move to the Terras on Thursday.

The hosts nearly suffered a nightmare start when Nick Crittenden's first-minute header allowed forward Andy Campbell to run at Critchell. The former Cardiff City man beat the defender but had his shot saved at point-blank range by Jason Matthews.

advertisementTo their credit the Terras responded immediately with Roberts crossing for Platt but the ex-AFC Bournemouth forward could only volley wide.

Weymouth soon began to settle and on six minutes a pass down the left saw Beavon get clattered just outside of the area by on-rushing keeper Craig Mawson. The visiting stopper received a booking for his rash challenge.

All of Weymouth's best work was going through Vernazza and Browning who were bossing the midfield but on 23 minutes the visitors created an opening, which Darryn Stamp nodded wide.

Beavon shot wide of the near post on 29 minutes after a clever pass by Platt before Roberts wasted a better chance seconds later, lashing a shot over the bar after Weatherstone's attempted long-range drive had fallen to him 10 yards out.

The half ended with an opportunity Cortez Belle at the other end but his header was comfortably saved after Kearney had produced a fine cross from the first corner of the game. Vernazza was clearly the best player on the field in the first half and it was his vision again that put Coutts through two minutes after the break but the youngster's near-post effort was pushed wide by Mawson. From the resulting corner Robinson shot off target before the hosts finally broke the deadlock on 55 minutes.

Great control and another quality pass by Vernazza put Coutts away again and when he cut in from the left and got a fortuitous break of the ball he drove a shot past Mawson from 18 yards to send the Weymouth fans wild.

Seven minutes later Louis replaced Platt to make his first appearance at the Wessex Stadium and Douglas soon joined him in the action, coming on for a limping Beavon.

Belle then tested Matthews again with a downward header before on 75 minutes the visitors levelled.

A corner was only half cleared and when Kearney drove in a shot from the edge of the area it took a big deflection and nestled into the corner of the net. McCallum replaced Coutts on 80 minutes and it was the Terras who went on to grab a deserved winner. A fine flick on by Louis with two minutes of normal time remaining found Robinson and he fired the ball into the top left corner from 15 yards.