Grecian hero Lee feels for Terras
By Adam Summers

Wednesday 24th January 2007

FORMER Weymouth winger Lee Elam was full of compassion after helping his new team Exeter City sink the Terras in Nationwide Conference National at St James' Park last night.

The 30-year-old experienced a dream debut in which he scored his first ever senior hat-trick. Jon Challinor then wrapped up the points for the Grecians who ran out 4-0 winners.

Elam, who left Weymouth just days after the club announced it was suffering a financial crisis two weeks ago, said: "That was my first senior hattrick so of course I am pleased. Things have happened very quickly over the past couple of weeks but I just have to get on with it and play for the team and myself.

"It is not a good situation at Weymouth at the moment and towards the end I did not want us to score any-more goals because I feel a bit for them, I really do. I hope things get sorted there soon and that they stay up."

Last night's demise was a night-mare start for new Terras' player-manager Jason Tindall who was brutally

honest with his post-match thoughts. He said: "For the first 44 minutes we were good and they did not cause us too many problems but then they got one right on the stroke of half-time which was a big blow.

"In the end they scored two from set-pieces and that is something we have got to work on because it is not the first time that has happened.

"It is in games like this one that you ' learn a lot about your players. I wanted us to come here and believe we could win but some of the performances out there were unacceptable. We had a few words in the changing room afterwards and we know what we have to work on before the Northwich Victoria game on Saturday."

AFC Bournemouth loanee James Coutts and former Didcot Town striker Stuart Beavon both made their debuts for the Terras. The latter, who has signed a deal until the end of the season, came on in the final stages and went close with a header. Academy player Lewis Ironside was also included on the bench.

Tindall said: "Stuart knows he has got to get a bit fitter but he has a fine record in the lower leagues and he certainly knows where the goal is. He has signed until the end of the season and I am confident he will do well for us."

Former Terra Brian Dutton also travelled to Devon with the Weymouth squad. Tindall added: "Brian has trained with us a couple of times and we are just taking a look at him and seeing how it goes."

Weymouth remain in seventh just one point above City who occupy the place below them.