Manager Alan Lewer reverted to a 4-5-1 formation, bringing in Jordan Collins and Marcus Browning for Stephen Cooke and Jake Hyde, and asked Cliff Akurang to play the lone role at the front.

On a poor playing surface that started to cut up within minutes of the kick off and caused the ball to take a number of strange bounces both teams took a while to settle down.

Matt Crabb had the first chance of the match, for the home side, but he was well off target with his 25-yard effort having been put through by Ben Austin.

Shortly after Crabb combined well with his brother – Nathan – to create another opening, but Gavin Hoyte did well to get back and dispossess him as he shaped to shoot.

Terras’ keeper Adam Legzdins was called upon in earnest for the first time in the 23rd minute after Matt Crabb’s corner had only been half cleared, but Danny Brown’s shot was easily held.

Marcus Browning had Weymouth’s first chance of the match when he got on the end of a Kyle Critchell free-kick in the 31st minute but his shot from six yards was deflected for a corner.

Moments later Dominic Merella latched on to to a long clearance from Legzdins, but rushed his effort and home custodian Lee Hook was able to save comfortably.

Another Critchell free-kick on 36 minutes, saw the Terras cause problems for the home defence, Browning being held back by Darren Baker as he moved to make contact.

Unfortunately the visitors’ appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears.

Having seen another Merella effort fly wide the Terras were rocked on the stroke of half-time when Paul Armstrong’s ball from the right was headed home via an upright by Matt Crabb despite Legzdins’ desperate effort to claw the ball back.

The Terras’ number one came to his side’s rescue in the 49th minute when he spread himself at the feel of Nathan Crabb to save, after the home man had been put through by Allan Tait.

Jordan Collins saw a free-kick from 30 yards out flash just past an upright and Hook saved Marc Pullan from embarrassment at the other end when he back pedalled to grab the ball after the home defender had deflected a Critchell clearance. Weymouth should have levelled the score in the 70th minute after Akurang had won a corner on the right flank. The kick taken by Sam Cutler was met by Fola Onibuje but he disappointingly directed his header over the crossbar.

Onibuje was off target again, in the 73rd minute, when he met Akurang’s cross with a powerful header from six yards.

As the Terras looked to get something from the game, changing their formation to 4-3-3, the home side began to find more space and Legzdins saved well from Nathan Crabb before his brother, Matt, shot over the bar.

However, the introduction of West Ham United loanee Jack Jeffery, in the 78th minute, was to have a dire effect on the visitors as Brown flicked on a long punt by Hook and the substitute fired home with his first touch of the game.

Ben Gill shot high after Jermaine Palmer had put him in space before Jeffery wrapped the game up for Eastbourne in the 89th minute.

Legzdins was a little slow to clear a back pass and Jeffery blocked his clearance – using his hand in the opinion of the majority of the spectators in that area of the ground – before rolling the ball into an empty net thus ensuring that the final scoreline did not entirely reflect the game.