Sole destroyer
By Nigel Biddlecombe

WEYMOUTH will look back on this Blue Square Premier game and wonder how they failed to secure their first away win of the season.

The Terras dominated the first half, creating numerous chances, but failed to capitalise on them.

Striker Jefferson Louis did gave the visitors the lead on 50 minutes but Jason Tindall's men were pegged back by Giuseppe Sole six minutes later.

Weymouth reverted to a 3-5-1 formation for last night's game at Kingfield Stadium, with defender Ashley Vickers missing out and Conal Platt coming into the starting line up with Marcus Browning returning from suspension to take a place on the bench.

Weymouth's first opportunity came as early as the third minute when Platt drove over the bar after being put free in space by Stuart Beavon.

Jefferson Louis' speculative shot from 25 yards was then held at the second attempt by Nick Gindre in the home goal.

There being no better example of this than in the 12th minute as Paulo Vernazza, Platt and James Coutts combined brilliantly to set up a chance for Beavon.

The Woking defence just managing to close the Terras' striker down as he was about to shoot and forcing him to send his effort wide.

After Beavon had seen two efforts inside a minute blocked, with Coutts' follow-up efforts suffering the same fate, Cards' manager Frank Gray boosted his midfield by replacing striker Goma Lambu with Jerome Maledon.

Despite this the Terras retained the upper hand, but were foiled by a combination of good goalkeeping - Gindre saving from Platt, Louis and Coutts - and poor finishing as Louis, Platt and Beavon all missed good opportunities.

Woking's only meaningful attempt of the first half came in the 33rd minute when Carl Gibbs latched on to a long clearance, but Jason Matthews was on hand to deal with the attempt.

As the second half commenced it appeared that the pattern of Terras domination would continue as Vernazza and Sido Jombarti worked well to give Platt a chance to shoot, but his effort was too high.

Weymouth broke the deadlock in the 50th minute when Vernazza'a free- kick - after Jombarti had been fouled - was floated into the penalty area for Louis to out jump the home defence and power in a header from six yards.

The goal served to bring the home side to life and it took just five minutes for them to draw level as the visitors were punished for a lack of concentration.

Marvin Morgan latched on to a poor clearance and made his way into the penalty before rounding Matthews and playing a square ball into the path of Giuseppe Sole who hammered home the equaliser.

Minutes later Matthews was forced to save bravely at the feet of Morgan after the home man had worked a terrific one-two with Sole.

Vernazza's 64th minute free-kick from 35 yards was deflected for a corner, before the Terras' manager Jason Tindall made a double substitution in an effort to re-exert the visitors' control as he replaced Coutts with Nick Crittenden and Beavon with Gavin McCallum.

McCallum almost became a hero with his first touch of the ball as his shot from the left flew narrowly wide before the same fate befell him as he fired in an effort from the other side of the penalty area.

Sole shot wide for Woking in the 75th minute while Platt's free-kick eight minutes later caused Gindre problems as he misjudged the flight and was pleased to see the ball go out for a corner.

Skipper Simon Weatherstone was forced to concede a corner when he produced a solid tackle to stop Sole's run, although the corner came to nothing, and Platt shot wide as the match drew to a close.

With two minutes of stoppage time gone McCallum robbed Bradley Quamina and made ground towards the Woking goal, but saw his effort fly narrowly wide of the right-hand post.

Quamina was injured in the challenge and needed to be taken from the field on a stretcher.