Recap

Report

Any Peacock promise shown during the opening quarter was soon blown away by Storm Jocelyn as the Dorset side secured their second consecutive win at Wordsworth Drive. The home side had displayed plenty of attacking intent in the first half but not for the first time this season, lacked a cutting edge where it mattered, before the Terras took control after grabbing the lead before the break and going on to keep Town at arms’ length during a poor second half from the hosts.

Fielding an unchanged starting eleven from the previous game against Dover, Town had the wind behind them as they made a positive start to proceedings, finding inlets into the box predominantly through Ollie Chamberlain. Zac Smith’s strike from the edge of the box was palmed down and held by Weymouth keeper Gerard Benfield after Ross Stearn had just seen penalty appeals ignored when he went down under a defender’s challenge while Nick Grimes’ header at the back post from a deep Lloyd James’ cross was parried by Benfield and hacked away for a corner. Nat Jarvis then got on the end of Chamberlain’s centre, but had the sting taken out of his effort by a deflection and it rolled benignly to Benfield.

Weymouth rode the early storm and provided their first couple of efforts, with Leo Hamblin dragging a shot wide and Brandon Goodship foraging across the edge of the box to see his strike deflect wide. Town though were still having the better of it at this stage, delivering numerous balls into the mix but being thwarted by the Terras backline and Benfield who dealt with what came their way. One such move promised more, Stearn finding Chamberlain inside who in turn laid square to Zac Bell who had plenty to aim at but sliced his shot the wrong side of the post.

Former Peacock loanee Malachi Linton, now spending some loan time in Dorset, saw his fierce left-footer pushed away by Dan Lavercombe before the visitors broke the deadlock after 33 minutes. Hamblin’s looping cross was nodded back by Harry Rowan and Weymouth talisman Goodship needed no second invitation to drill an 18 yard shot home via the inside of Lavercombe’s left-hand post.

Cameron Evans attempted an immediate riposte but saw his strike fly wide but with the attacking array Weymouth have at their disposal the threat was always there. Harry Parsons had a goalbound prod blocked before finding the crossbar with a neat 20 yard shot. The Peacocks recovered to end the half by carving out another opening which on another day goes in. Bell’s long throw squirmed loose to Chamberlain ten yards out, only for his drive to whistle narrowly wide.

Skipper Grimes was replaced by Marley Rose at the break but whereas the first 45 minutes had some cause for home optimism, the second half proved a non-event with Town managing one attempt at goal as they battled against the elements while Weymouth remained in a relative comfort zone as they did what was necessary, Goodship continuing to be a nuisance with a blocked shot and then latching onto a quickly taken free kick to see his cross claimed by Lavercombe. Evander Grubb replace Jarvis just before the hour, but it was game over after 71 minutes when a great ball from Teddy Howe located Goodship down the left and he scampered away to slot past Lavercombe into the far corner for a 2-0 lead.

Marcus Day immediately took over from Stearn before Lavercombe denied Parsons a third for the Terras as he cut in from the right following Goodship’s break. The Peacocks then summoned up their solitary second half strike at goal with a little over ten minutes remaining. Chamberlain was fouled on the right and the free kick found Grubb whose cut back was blasted over the bar by Rabby Tabu Minzamba. If it had gone in it may not have changed the outcome but might have at least brought some cheer to the Town fans who have now witnessed just one goal in four matches.

Taunton were forced to play out the final ten minutes a man short after Bell had to go off due to injury, leaving Weymouth to mount one last assault of note, a goal kick reaching Dan Roberts whose shot from a tight angle was blocked by Lavercombe’s leg and the follow-up header from Elliott Bolton found the clutches of the Peacocks’ keeper. The second period had been an unpleasant watch from a home perspective, with Benfield probably angry he had forgotten his kite, as Town continue to hover above the bottom four.

Line-Ups

Taunton: Dan Lavercombe, Zac Bell, Nick Grimes (captain) (Marley Rose 45), Dan Ball, Ollie Chamberlain, Lloyd James, Nat Jarvis (Evander Grubb 57), Rabby Tabu Minzamba, Ross Stearn (Marcus Day 72), Zac Smith, Cameron Evans. Unused subs: Callum Dolman, Louie Slough

Weymouth: Gerard Benfield, Teddy Howe, Leo Hamblin, Joe Cook, Olu Durojaiye, Tom Bearwish (captain), Brandon Goodship (Elliott Bolton 90), Malachi Linton (Dan Roberts 82), Harry Parsons, Calvin Brooks, Harry Rowan. Unused subs: Jordan Thompson, Keelan O’Connell, Ezio Touray

Officials

Referee: Steven Hughes (Sussex)
Referee’s Assistant 1: Said Ouchene (Paulton)
Referee’s Assistant 2: Paul Collier (Bristol)

Attendance

661

Reaction

” We realise that we have to be better in both boxes at the moment…………..” watch Rob Dray’s match reaction on Peacocks TV HERE

Highlights

Match highlights can be seen on Peacocks TV HERE

Photos

Match Photos from Club Photographers Debbie Gould can be viewed HERE and Darren Harris HERE

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance MOM

Ollie Chamberlain receives the Taunton Town Man Of The Match award from Peacocks’ supporter Dan Carter

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