Coutts’ clincher
By Nigel Biddlecombe
TRANSFER-LISTED James Coutts fired a last-gasp winner for Weymouth
to end a run of seven games without a Blue Square Premier victory.
While the Terras' visit to Cheshire may not have been a match
to please the purist it certainly had everything to keep the
interest of the 700 who paid to watch.
For the small number of travelling Terras' fans it turned
out to have more than that as Coutts hit the winning goal
in the fifth minute of added time, going some way to erase
the memory of Kidderminster's late strike the previous weekend.
Boss John Hollins fielded an unchanged side from Tuesday
night's 2-2 draw with league leaders Crawley, but found a
place on the bench for striker Stuart Beavon.
Weymouth started confidently enough when they forced a corner
on the right, however, Anton Robinson's strike from Ryan Williams'
cross was too high.
Play switched rapidly from end to end and Richard Barnard
was able to easily hold a shot from Matty Crowell before the
visitors were forced to play with 10 men as Scott Doe, who
- for the second time this season - had to leave the field
with a head injury. However, the central defender was able
to rejoin the fray after five minutes.
The home side were looking to exert control and Weymouth had Barnard
to thank for keeping them in the game as he produced a pair
of fine saves, tipping headers from Jonny Allen and Mark Roberts
over the crossbar as the visitors struggled to compete in the
air defensively.
Having survived the storm, the Terras came back when Sam
Cutler found space before shooting high, Williams saw his
effort from Chris McPhee's pass deflected by Michael Welch
and well saved by Scott Tynan and Cutler brought another save
from Tynan when Cameron Mawer created another opportunity
for the youngster.
Just before the interval Jamie Mullen, who had been lively
throughout the half, put Crowell free, but his shot was well
wide.
The second period was just seven minutes old when Weymouth
took the lead through a bizarre own goal. Doe's long clearance
caused confusion in the Northwich defence as Pierre Joseph-Dubois
chased through.
Tynan came off his line to attack the ball just as Welch
took the decision to head it back, with the ball sailing into
the net as the two collided.
The game was then held up for several minutes while Welch
received treatment before finally being stretchered off and
taken to hospital with facial injuries.
Just eight minutes later Northwich drew level when a corner
by Danny Williams was not dealt with and Roberts headed goalwards,
although Mawer appeared to have cleared the ball off the line
the assistant referee thought otherwise and the Terras full-back
received a caution for protesting as the goal was given.
The game began to open up with both sides seeking to add
to their tally, Danny Williams shot wide for Northwich and
Beavon fired just over the crossbar after good work by Williams
had given him a half chance.
When Aaron Burns latched on to a well placed pass from Darryn
Stamp to shoot home over the advancing Barnard and put the
home side in front after 74 minutes Northwich had completed
a remarkable turn around.
However, the Terras were not done yet and levelled in the
81st minute - when Beavon and Coutts worked together to find
Williams 12 yards out. The Terras' club captain was felled
by Roberts as he shaped to shoot leaving Beavon to step up
and beat Tynan from the penalty spot.
With both sides looking far from comfortable in defence the
game really opened up in the final 20 minutes. Burns fired
high at one end with both McPhee and Williams doing the same
at the other.
As both sides sought to find the winning goal Beavon was
just wide with a snapshot on the turn and Stamp was too high
after Aaron Burns had slipped past Mawer to create the chance.
Then up stepped Coutts to fire his 25-yard curler past Tynan
and into the top left-hand corner to give the Terras three
very welcome points.
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