Terras tormented by ace Mackey (From Dorset Echo)

Terras tormented by ace Mackey

7:00pm Sunday 17th March 2013 in Sport By Echo Reporter

STOURBRIDGE 5 WEYMOUTH 0

BEN Mackey made an instant impact for his new club as Stourbridge brought an emphatic end to Weymouth’s five-game winning streak in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division.

The lively forward, who was making his home debut following a recent move from St Neots Town, netted twice in the opening eight minutes, before Drew Canavan added a third before the break.

Weymouth also had chances but it proved a day to forget for the visitors, particularly when Craig Duff received a straight red card in the second half, allowing Mackey to complete his hat-trick and Ben Billingham to grab his side’s fifth late on.

The Terras made one change to the starting XI that began the 1-0 home victory over Banbury the previous weekend with Stephen Reed coming in for Danny Clay, who dropped to the bench due to a chest infection.

Dan Smith, who has just had the cast removed from his broken hand, was also named among the substitutes along with Chris Povall, Lewis Clarke and Matt Groves.

Having won their last three on the road in a run of seven victories from eight games, the visitors were clearly in fine form but it took just a matter of seconds for them to fall behind.

A routine break down the middle from kick-off found Mackey and he wasted no time in endearing himself to the home fans by firing the ball past a stunned Simon Evans.

The in-form striker celebrated his 22nd league goal of the season in style and just seven minutes later he grabbed another.

This time, Ashley Wells’ poor clearance fell to Jordan Fitzpatrick and when he fed the ball through there was Mackey to turn the ball into the far corner of the net.

The Terras looked completely bamboozled and were in desperate need of a lift, and it nearly arrived on 12 minutes when excellent work from Ben Joyce set up Reed, whose shot just cleared the crossbar.

The heavens then opened and with the hosts content to sit back on their lead it was up to Weymouth to continue to try and break them down.

On 22 minutes, they did exactly that when some fine interplay led to a chance for Duff but he could only send his shot just wide of the target.

The Glassboys were still carrying a threat on the break though, and just after the half-hour, Mackey broke away again. The lively forward rode a couple of challenges but his eventual effort was saved well by Evans.

The next goal was always going to be crucial and unfortunately for the Terras it went the way of the home side with Evans failing to keep out a fine strike from Canavan on 36 minutes.

Having lost 5-1 at home in the reverse fixture earlier in the season, Weymouth were now playing for pride as much as anything else, and four minutes from the break they threatened again when Jamie Skinner shot straight at home stopper Dean Coleman.

However, Mackey was still running riot and moments later he forced Evans into another save following a fine cross from Fitzpatrick.

After the break, Mark Ford tested Coleman but the Terras were still looking short of ideas and on 62 minutes they sent on Smith for Skinner in a bid to sharpen up their attack.

It was Stourbridge that had the next chance though. Billingham drove in a shot from a free-kick on the edge of the box and when the ball broke loose to Mackey, he could only blast it over the bar, much to the away side’s relief.

To their credit, Weymouth continued to battle but when Duff was sent for an early bath for kicking out at an opponent with just 18 minutes remaining, their resolve was all but broken.

Suddenly the hosts saw an opportunity to further enhance their goal difference and six minutes later Fitzpatrick and Mackey combined again for the latter to finally grab his third.

To rub even more salt into the Terras’ wounds, Billingham then added another in the dying seconds to complete the rout and extend the home side’s unbeaten run to five games.

Stourbridge: Coleman, Canavan (Osb-ourne 75), Oliver, McCone, Geddes (Dyson 83), Bennett, Lloyd, Broadhurst, Mackey (Nisbett 82), Billingham, Fitzpatrick. Subs not used: Francis.

Terras: Evans, McConnell, Wells, Reed, Poole, Palmer, Duff, Skinner (Smith 62), Joyce, Ford (Clay 75), Walker. Subs not used: Povall, Clarke, Groves.

Bookings: Stourbridge – Mackey.

Weymouth – Palmer.

Sent off: Weymouth – Duff Attendance: 519