The in-form playmaker’s long-range effort on nine minutes will live long in the memory and when Sam Poole doubled the advantage from a corner later in the first half St Albans looked lost for ideas.

However, experienced forward Paul Furlong then pulled one back just after the interval which made for an intriguing second period.

Weymouth suddenly looked a bag of nerves but when James Coutts restored their two-goal advantage with 21 minutes remaining it was enough to put the result beyond doubt and end the Saints’ three-game unbeaten run.

Brendon King made two changes to the Terras’ starting XI with Nick Jordan and debutant Alex Jeannin replacing Tom Manley and the suspended Ben Gerring.

Meanwhile, the Saints included former Terra Narada Bernard in their line-up along with ex-Queens Park Rangers and Chelsea striker Furlong, who captained the side at the age of 43.

Weymouth pinned the visitors in their own half in the opening exchanges and they deservedly took the lead through an incredible strike from Reed.

A patient build-up by the Terras ended with Byron Napper being dispossessed just outside the box, but as the ball looped up in the air, Reed let fly with a sweet left-foot volley from 35 yards that completely deceived keeper Nick Jupp before dipping under the crossbar.

The midfielder immediately ran to the dugout to celebrate with his manager and after Furlong had struck high and wide at the other end just moments later, the Terras threatened again when Craig Duff failed to make the most of a poor clearance from the Saints’ shaken stopper.

Jupp was then put under pressure again by Warren Byerley’s header from a corner, which he managed to flick over the bar, before Poole doubled the lead from Reed’s subsequent flag-kick with a free header at the far post.

The Saints once again looked for an immediate response but Jordan was hardly troubled. The visitors’ best effort came on 32 minutes when Simon Martin played in Furlong, whose shot from just inside the box flew over the crossbar.

Weymouth also continued probing at the other end and on 39 minutes they tested Jupp again when Byerley got on the end of a wonderful right-wing cross from Sam Malsom.

Unfortunately for the hosts, the header went straight at the keeper who was finally beginning to settle.

The Terras looked in command but just three minutes after the break the Saints pulled one back when Jordan could only parry David Ijaha’s 25-yard drive, handing Furlong the simplest of tap-ins It was a soft goal to concede and on 61 minutes the Saints went agonisingly close to drawing level when a similar effort from Ijaha took a wicked deflection before rolling just wide of the right-hand post.

In complete contrast to the first half, the Terras suddenly looked off the pace and were giving the visitors plenty of encouragement to come at them.

Danny Hart sent a shot straight at Jordan before Weymouth finally put together an encouraging move at the other end which resulted in a goal for Coutts.

The midfielder collected the ball on the edge of the box following some fine work from Duff and, after a fortunate bounce off a defender, showed remarkable calmness to slot a side-footed volley past Judd.

To their credit the Saints kept asking questions but Jordan made fine saves to deny Hart and Furlong as the Terras held on to move up to 11th in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier table.