Terras' torment
By Adam Summers

CHARLIE Sheringham proved that goal poaching clearly runs in his family as he netted five times for Bishop’s Stortford at the Wessex Stadium on Saturday.

The 21-year-old, who is the son of ex-England international Teddy Sheringham, took full advantage of a lacklustre defensive display from Weymouth, who found themselves three down after just 24 minutes.

After setting up Danny Harris’ opener, Sheringham netted twice before Matt Thorne replied with a penalty just 13 minutes before the break to give the Terras some hope.

However, Sheringham went on to grab three more in the second half and although the Terras showed some spirit at one stage to get another one back through debutant Jake Reid, the home fans left at the final whistle reflecting on another dreadful result.

Weymouth boss Matty Hale made four changes to the team that began the 5-0 drubbing against Eastleigh last Tuesday.

The biggest surprise was perhaps the exclusion of central defender Scott Brice who dropped to the bench alongside Danny Bennett.

Matt Groves, who missed the defeat against the Spitfires through illness, was also named amongst the substitutes along with ex-Yate Town striker Reid, who impressed for the second-string in midweek.

Tom Piotrowski and the injured Dean Smith were the other notable absentees while Ben Reiffer and Tyler Sibbick stepped down and travelled with the reserves.

The hosts once again lined up in a 4-4-2 formation but with Andy Harris and Ollie Barnes at the heart of their defence and skipper Kyle Critchell and Matt Thorne in the centre of a midfield which included Jordan Metters on the right and Carl Preston on the left.

Elsewhere, Martin Slocombe moved to left-back, with Joe Arnold returning from injury to partner Matt Cooper up front.

Thorne and Metters were actually making their first starts of the season but any hopes of a solid opening to the game from the Terras were dispelled as early as the fourth minute.

A long, hopeful ball into the Weymouth box was not dealt with and when Sheringham hooked the ball to the back post there was Danny Harris to side foot it home on the stretch.

The Terras responded with an effort from Cooper, which found the side netting at the near post, following a fine pass from Preston and for a short while it looked like the early setback could galvanise Hale’s side.

However, on 11 minutes, more disaster struck when Sheringham scrambled home a second after keeper Ryan Harrison got caught under a looping header from a corner, which he could only push against the bar.

It was a nightmare start for the home side and two became three just 13 minutes later when Marlon Patterson skinned Matt Townley as if he was not there to set up Sheringham, who calmly side-footed the ball into the far corner.

Another heavy defeat was looming for Weymouth but on 32 minutes they received the lift they desperately needed when Cooper lobbed the ball over the top for the marauding Critchell to run on to.

The home skipper battled his way into the box only to fall under a challenge by Stevland Angus. At first glance it looked fairly innocuous but referee Ben Knight immediately blew for a penalty, which Thorne tucked away in cool fashion.

However, Weymouth’s defence continued to look shoddy and after a couple more efforts on goal from the Blues the hosts then lost Arnold on 39 minutes to a recurrence of the thigh injury he sustained on the opening day at Lewes.

Reid replaced the injured forward and two minutes before the break the Terras went close to getting a second when Ben Bowditch headed a dangerous free-kick into the box against his own goalkeeper, Nicky Eyre, who knew very little about it as the ball fortunately spun to safety.

Going forward Weymouth were looking much better than they did against Eastleigh and some of the build up play was very encouraging. However, at the back it was a shambles, and it was clear at half-time that the Terras would need to sort that area out if they were to stand any chance of completing a comeback.

Harrison was also looking unsteady in goal for the hosts and when more uncertain defending on 52 minutes led to him making another error it enabled Sheringham to grab his third.

This time a near post corner caused havoc and when Ashley Nicholls returned the ball into the six-yard box Harrison failed to push the ball over and instead palmed it up in the air allowing the Blues’ forward to bundle it over the line.

That looked as if it had killed the Terras off but the introduction of Groves and Bennett midway through the half sharpened the home side up and on 74 minutes a fine free-kick from Townley saw Reid climb high and head home to make it 4-2.

Weymouth were now flying forward and five minutes later Groves showed quick feet in the box to gain a sight of goal only to see his shot deflect agonisingly wide of the far post.

The game was now flowing from end-to-end and after Sheringham had a shot saved by Harrison, Groves went close again with a header that Eyres did well to get down to at his far post.

The Terras deserved a bit of credit for their fighting spirit but with three minutes remaining Sheringham fired home a fifth for his side on the half-volley to finally kill the home side off.

Then, to rub even more salt in the wounds, Townley played a woeful back pass, which caused Harrison to scythe down substitute Duane Jackman in the box. Sheringham stepped up to the spot and made no mistake.

Audio interview by Ross Burns loading below