Terras bag three points thanks to Simon Crouch brace (From Dorset Echo)

Terras bag three points thanks to Simon Crouch brace

5:20pm Monday 11th March 2013 in Sport By Adam Summers

POOLE BOROUGH 1 WEYMOUTH RESERVES 3

SIMON Crouch bagged a brace as the Terras got back to winning ways in the Magna Dorset Premier League.

The pitch at Turlin Moor was a real leveller but Weymouth proved a lot more clinical in front of goal with Sanchez Jansz-Baker grabbing the third in a 3-1 victory.

Joint-boss Jake Richmond told Echosport: “We didn’t play very well but the playing surface didn’t really allow it. “It was really bumpy and not conducive to passing football at all.

“Poole Borough fought hard but they never really carved us open whereas we took our chances when they came along, and in the conditions I couldn’t really ask for more than that.

“We were also struggling a bit in terms of selection.

“It was Adam Anstey’s first game since December and Charlie Holland and Louis Smith’s second in three months.

“Simon also rolled his ankle in the warm-up but managed to get through 52 minutes, Matt Morley played with a stinking cold and Mark Cottingham took part in what was just his third game for me.

“So taking all that and the state of the pitch into account, I was just delighted to come away with the win.”

Cottingham made a fine save to deny the Hornets in the 14th minute before the Terras eventually broke the deadlock just seven minutes later when Crouch smashed home an excellent cross from Sean Zima following a lovely piece of control.

Borough tried to respond but just before the break they conceded another. This time Luke Winsper supplied the through ball for Crouch, who lifted the ball over the onrushing keeper from 25 yards to the delight of the visiting bench.

The Terras were now in full command and three minutes into the second half they killed the game by netting a third.

Once again Winsper was the architect but on this occasion it was Jansz-Baker that applied the finish from six yards, making up for a glaring miss just moments earlier.

Cottingham was then forced into a couple more saves before Aaron Merredew finally grabbed the consolation goal the hosts deserved in the final minute after substitute Adam Frame saw an effort disallowed for offside at the other end.

The victory keeps Weymouth in the hunt for a top-six finish while the Hornets remain second-bottom.

Terras: Cottingham, Harvey, Holland, Anstey, Beals, Smith, Winsper, Morley (Brown 75), Crouch (Frame 52), Jansz-Baker (Taylor 82), Zima