WEYMOUTH SPORTS 1 GILLINGHAM TOWN RESERVES 3

WEYMOUTH Sports saw their winless run stretched to four games following a 3-1 defeat against Gillingham Town Reserves at Cranford Avenue.

Sports put up a better performance than the previous week but conceded some sloppy goals during another frustrating afternoon.

Joint-boss Chris Hicks told Echosport: “It was disappointing again. We were a bit better but it still wasn’t good enough.

“In the first half we started a bit slowly again and were sloppy and wasteful in possession.

“Then, just when it looked like we were getting a grip on the game, they grabbed a fortuitous opener which took a deflection, leaving James Parkes completely wrong footed.

“Even then we still didn’t get going with two or three players going for the same ball at times, which ended up leading to their second.

“This time there was a bit of miscommunication at the back and when James came to take the ball and missed it, one of their lads stuck it away.

“After that it was always going to be hard but we did manage to pull one back when Josh Stroud’s free-kick from the right was turned in by one of their defenders.

“In the second half, we then came out and looked a bit brighter. The tempo of our play was much better and our passing was a lot more precise but unfortunately the damage had already been done.

“Being a counter-attacking team, Gillingham sat deep and in the end caught us on the break to grab a third. There was a suspicion of offside attached to it but the lad took it well and they deserved their win.”

One positive to come from the game for Sports was the debut appearance of ex-Weymouth midfielder Rich-ard Marshallsay.

Hicks added: “Richard went off to the Marines but is going to help us out whenever he is back, which is great.

“Not only is he a very good player but he is a nice lad too, so it is great to have him on board.”

Sports now sit eighth in the Dorset Senior League, just three points above the bottom two having played more games than everybody else.

Sports: Parkes, Stroud (Austin 80), Bessant, Schofield (Windust 60), Hicks, Culpin, W Sonner, Dixon, Marshallsay, Taylor (Miles-Bell 60), M Sonner.