In an otherwise lacklustre game, McGuinness stabbed home after visiting goalkeeper could only tip Simon Radcliffe’s cross into the path of the Rushden & Diamonds loanee.

Teenage custodian Michael Neish had little to do but was on his guard to make an outstanding full-stretch save in the final minute of the game and guarantee caretaker player-manager Andy Harris his first win.

After the Wessex Stadium faithful gave Ian Hutchinson and Andy Mason a great reception, the Terras kicked off their final home match of the season with Harris in charge and a completely unchanged squad to the one that lost 2-0 at high-flying Dover Athletic.

In the summer sunshine and a subdued atmosphere, the match certainly had an end-of-season feel about it and most of the players on the pitch looked as if they were longing for the beach as a long and turbulent campaign at the Wessex Stadium drew to a close.

Ian Hodges and Dave Tarpey were well off target for the visitors before they actually found the target when the latter wrestled past Radcliffe and cut back for the former, who beat Neish but found Ollie Tribe covering on the line.

Weymouth finally got their first shot away when Foster’s cut back found Scott Dixon, who shifted the ball on to his right foot and drove towards the bottom left-hand corner, only for Lovett to tip it around a post.

Tarpey caused more problems when his free-kick was glanced wide by Hodges but Stephen Reed almost scored unintentionally when his hooked volley into the box was clawed away by a rather flat-footed Lovett.

Neish had to be back on his guard at the other end to watch another Tarpey set-piece swing past a post before the same man forced Neish to dive and hold on to his next effort after Weymouth conceded their ninth free-kick of the half.

Some good play at the other end between Reed and McGuinness set up Foster, who shot first time at Lovett but the half-time whistle was a welcome relief to a lacklustre 45 minutes.

The Terras won three corners inside the four minutes after the break without really threatening but took the lead in the 49th minute when Radcliffe’s left-wing cross was tipped on by Lovett and McGuinness rushed in at the back post to stab home.

Hampton were struggling and all they could muster in reply was another Tarpey set-piece that missed the target, while Shane Evans blasted well wide from the edge of the area.

The striker was disappointed he did not do better when he was released by Reed, but the 40-yard run from the halfway line proved to be just too far as the Hampton defence caught him up.

However, the ball broke for substitute Tom Richardson, but visiting skipper Dean Wells scrambled the ball away to deny the Weymouth striker a goal.

Reed thumped a free-kick straight down Lovett’s throat and McGuin-ness drove one wide as the Terras continued to dominate the half.

However, Hampton started to ease their way back into the game and Neish made his best save of the match when Louis Ray-Beadle’s cross from the right found Barrie Matthews at the far post, who headed down towards the corner but found the Terras’ stopper equal to it.

And as the final whistle went, the Wessex Stadium erupted and gave their second standing ovation of the afternoon while Hampton were given a dressing down by manager Alan Devonshire in the middle.