Rovers run riot
By Nigel Biddlecombe
WEYMOUTH'S unbeaten start to the Blue Square Premier season
came to a crunching halt at a wind-swept New Lawn yesterday
afternoon as they were heavily defeated by Forest Green Rovers.
The Terras fielded an unchanged line-up for the fifth successive
game and certainly started well.
Stuart Beavon was fouled and the striker got on the end of
Ryan Williams' free-kick, but was unable to direct his overhead
kick.
Another free-kick, this one taken by Kevin Sandwith, found
Cameron Mawer but his header was wide of the target.
Richard Barnard easily held a headed effort from Andy Mangan
and, as the home side began to press there was panic in the
visiting penalty area as Bernard was forced to save again
from the same player before Scott Doe and Sandwith both put
their bodies on the line to block follow up efforts from ex-Terra
Conal Platt and Lee Fowler.
Forest Green's opening goal came in the 35th minute when
Paul Stonehouse made ground on the flank before firing into
the danger area.
Two home men stepped over the ball - Platt the second of these
- to leave Jonathan Smith in acres of space and with plenty
of time to pick his spot and score from eight yards.
Platt fired high, Barnard saved at the feet of Mangan and
Alex Lawless shot wide as the interval approached with the
only opportunity created by the Terras falling to Michael
Malcolm after Chris McPhee and Beavon had created the opening
for him, however, the ball was cleared just as he shaped to
shoot.
Weymouth started the second period the better of the sides
as Ryan Robinson was called upon to save from McPhee and the
ex-Ebbsfleet man might have done better when he combined with
Beavon to create an opportunity only to fire his shot well
wide.
The visitors equalised in the 71st minute when Williams'
corner was only half cleared and the Terras' club captain
was able to return the ball into the penalty area, where Doe
was on hand to net from close range.
Rovers introduced Adriano Rigoglioso as a substitute and
he it was that turned the game in the home side's favour with
two goals in a six-minute spell.
In the 76th minute Sam Cutler failed to clear and Williams,
in attempting to deal with the danger, gave the ball away
in his own penalty area.
Fowler gratefully accepted the gift and fed Rigoglioso who
drilled home from eight yards.
The home side put the game out of the Terras' reach in the
82nd minute when referee Hey-wood penalised Doe.
Rigoglioso stepped up to fire a free-kick from 35 yards which
squirmed beneath Barnard.
Weymouth then had more shots on target in the final 10 minutes
than during the rest of the match and McPhee seeing an effort
cleared with home keeper Robinson saving twice from Beavon
and once from his namesake Anton.
Rovers were not to be denied, however, and completed the
rout in the third minute of added time when a corner was allowed
to run through to Fowler, who unleashed a shot from the edge
of the area. Barnard was unable to react as the shot clipped
the underside of the crossbar and went in.
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