Terras ground Rooks
By Adam Summers

MICHAEL Malcolm and Chris McPhee were both on target as Weymouth moved up to second in the Blue Square Premier table with a fully deserved win at the Wessex Stadium.

The Terras had to work hard to break down Lewes but once Malcolm opened the scoring three minutes before the break there only ever looked to be one outcome.

The Rooks put up more of a fight in the second half but a moment of madness from Seb Wallis-Taylor on 69 minutes allowed McPhee to double the lead and that was how it remained.

Since losing 1-0 at home to Oxford United on April 5, the Terras have not been beaten in league action in ten games, claiming five wins and five draws, which is an outstanding record for a side that were tipped to struggle at the beginning of the current campaign.

Weymouth boss John Hollins named the same starting XI for the fourth game in succession but there was no place on the bench for Pierre Joseph-Dubois who was ruled out with a thigh strain. Sam Cutler was the man called in.

Lewes handed a debut to captain Danny Cullip. The former Queens Park Rangers and Fulham defender missed the Rooks' first three games due to a poisoned toe.

It was perhaps no surprise then that it was the hosts that made the more positive start with Kevin Sandwith firing a cross in from the left to McPhee. The forward's first touch was good but the ball spun away from him off the slick surface allowing Cullip to clear the danger just as he was about to pull the trigger.

Anton Robinson then fired over from the edge of the area after a fine lay off by Malcolm but despite all their early pressure the Terras still had not tested Lewes keeper Rikki Banks.

Malcolm should have done better with a header on 24 minutes after a fine cross from Stuart Beavon before McPhee had a near post flick-on from a corner scrambled off the line.

Weymouth were beginning to find more of a cutting edge up front and they were unfortunate again when Malcolm had another header turned over the bar by Banks.

Lewes then replied with their first effort, which saw Fraser test Richard Barnard at his near post on the half hour, but it was the Terras that continued to look the more likely scorers and on 41 minutes they finally got the breakthrough they needed.

A mix-up between McPhee and Ryan Williams saw the ball land at the feet of Stephen Reed who instantly slipped through Malcolm. The lively winger ran past his marker Chris Breach and although the angle seemed against him, squeezed the ball between Banks and the near post to give his side a deserved lead.

The Terras continued to control the game at the start of the second half but a warning shot was fired on 55 minutes when Michael Standing shook the crossbar with a blockbuster from 35 yards.

Hollins immediately rushed out to the edge of his technical area to refocus his players' minds and it was not long before they were striding forward again with Beavon shooting wide from the edge of the box moments later.

Malcolm then tested Banks with an audacious volley from distance before a fortuitous ricochet saw McPhee go close but the ball fell just off target.

Malcolm suffered a knock and had to be replaced by James Coutts on 68 minutes and that switch caused Lewes to lose concentration with Wallis-Taylor playing a blind pass that was meant for Cullip directly to the feet of McPhee.

The 25 year-old controlled the ball instantly and made his way into the box where he lashed a fierce shot past Banks to make it 2-0 to the adulation of the home crowd.

That seemed to be game over but the visitors immediately hit back with a fine effort from Chamal Fenelon, who cut in from the left and had a powerful drive pushed wide by Barnard.

Craig Richards then tested the Terras' keeper with a powerful shot before Scott Taylor stabbed the ball just off target after Weymouth failed to clear a low cross into the box.

The hosts weathered that short storm and on 83 minutes Williams nearly added some gloss to the scoreline when he found the side netting after fooling two defenders in the box.