Match Report
By Adam Summers

THREE trialists found the net for Weymouth as they began their pre-season campaign with a 3-0 success against Bridport at St Mary’s Field.

Ex-Bristol Rovers and Weston-super-Mare star Matt Groves handed the Terras the lead with a first-half header before former Bristol City academy player Jordan Metters doubled the lead after the break with a close range strike from a corner.

To their credit the Bees fought hard throughout and made several chances but with 10 minutes remaining the visitors added a third through ex-Yeovil Town and Dorchester Town striker Tom Clarke, who caught substitute keeper Lee Cleal out at his near post.

Other trialists that turned out for the Terras included former Bristol Rovers striker Josh Klein-Davies, Team Bath Under-18s’ defender Nathan Loader, full-back Matthew Wright, midfielder Phil Harpnut and forward Johnny Moss.

They joined goalkeeper Simon Evans, ex-Portland United star John Lamb and youth products Jordan Vincent, Jamie Frampton, Tom Richardson Ben Reiffer and Ollie Tribe in a young-looking squad that showed some encouraging signs.

With Ian Hutchinson returning to Bridport for the first time since leaving the club last month to become Matty Hale’s assistant at the Wessex Stadium there was always going to be a competitive edge to this friendly which was played in extremely damp conditions.

Both sets of players were clearly keen to impress their respective managers and it was the hosts that made the more positive start with Jamie Symes sending a shot from 25 yards just over the bar in only the second minute.

The Terras then responded with Groves cutting in from the right and firing a left-footed strike that keeper Lee Cuff did well to push wide.

The end-to-end nature of the contest continued and on 17 minutes the Bees should have taken the lead when Dan Wise’s corner from the left found Symes at the far post who sent his header agonisingly wide when he really should have scored.

Tom Clarke then nodded off target at the other end before Wise let fly with a powerful strike from 30 yards that Evans turned wide with an acrobatic save.

A goal was clearly on the cards and it finally came on 24 minutes when Klein-Davies chased a lost cause on the right and rolled the ball back to Jordan Vincent whose pin-point cross was headed home at the near post by Groves.

Following that effort both sides then tightened up before several changes were made at the interval.

Having gleaned confidence from a decent first-half performance the Terras came out after the break and began to show a lot more composure in possession.

One such free-flowing move on 55 minutes saw Lamb break into the box following a neat one-two with Metters only to round Cleal and send his shot from an acute angle against the inside of the near post.

Klein-Davies then showed his strength by holding off a defender and causing Cleal to make a smart save before Groves was just inches away from registering his second at the far post after the ball had deflected across the face of goal.

Despite maintaining their fighting spirit throughout Bridport looked a little ruffled and from the resulting corner on 76 minutes the away side finally made it 2-0 when Metters pounced on a loose ball to fire home through a crowd of players from 12 yards.

That gave the Terras even more of a licence to roam forward and just four minutes later they bagged a third when Clarke found the top corner from out on the left with what looked like a cross-cum-shot that fooled Cleal, who was caught wrong- footed.

In conclusion it was an encouraging first outing by Weymouth with Loader, Metters, Groves and Klein-Davies all catching the eye.

There were also solid performances from Jamie Frampton, Jordan Vincent and John Lamb as Hale and his coaching staff left the dugout at the final whistle with plenty of positives to reflect upon.

Bridport: Lee Cuff (Lee Cleal 46), Gary Bulman (James Maidment 60), Chris Clarke (Shane Evans 60), Darren Lock, Jamie Fry (Adam Stordy 65), Ryan Hayter (Alan Lehelleco 75), Russell Legg (Tom Coggins 46), Dan Wise, Ashley Clarke (Ben Clarke 46), Matt Condliffe, Jamie Symes (Lee Neil 46).

Weymouth: Simon Evans, Jamie Frampton, Nathan Loader (Jordan Vincent 80), Jordan Vincent (Matthew Wright 46), John Lamb, Phil Harpnut (Ben Reiffer 46), Tom Richardson (Jordan Metters 46), Matt Groves (Tom Richardson 80), Tom Clarke (Ollie Tribe 46), Josh Klein-Davies, Johnny Moss (Tom Clarke 70).