WEYMOUTH 4 (Yetton 20, 89, Burbidge 24, 86)

BEDFORD TOWN 1 (Davis 90)

LUKE Burbidge and Stewart Yetton both doubled up as the Terras cruised to a comfortable home victory over Bedford at the Bob Lucas Stadium on Saturday.

Weymouth caretaker-manager Jason Matthews made three changes to the starting XI that drew 0-0 at Banbury the previous weekend, with Barry McConnell, Danny Clay and on-loan debutant Jake Green replacing Ashley Wells, Dave Allen and Mark Ford.

Wells and Allen missed out through suspension and injury respectively, while Ford dropped to the bench where he joined Matt Cafer, Nathan Walker, Matt Harvey and Carl McClements.

Green, a Bristol Rovers asset, was handed the left-back spot, allowing Scott Walker to take up his more favoured position down the left flank, while Clay joined Luke Winsper in central midfield.

With Bedford having failed to pick up a single win in their previous 12 league outings, the hosts had to fancy their chances and they started the game on the front foot.

Ben Joyce warmed the hands of visiting keeper Dan Green from 20 yards before Michael Walker got on the end of a corner from Scott Walker, only to send his header well wide.

It was a decent start from the Terras but Taylor Rhiney was also looking lively for the visitors and on 10 minutes, he broke down the left and sent a low cross flying along the six-yard box, just out of the reach of team-mate Jordan Davis.

Despite that fright, and a heavy downpour of rain, Weymouth continued to look the better side and duly took the lead on 20 minutes.

The breakthrough came from the boot of Stewart Yetton, just seconds after he had seen another effort cleared off the goal-line at a corner.

Scott Walker provided the ammunition with a pinpoint cross and the hardworking striker did the rest with a sweet touch and finish that gave Green no chance.

Bedford looked stunned and just four minutes later they conceded again when Poole hooked the ball over for Luke Burbidge to tap home at the far post.

The Terras clearly had a spring in their step but with the rain still not relenting, fears of a potential abandonment were soon spreading around the ground, as surface water began to create big puddles on the pitch.

Desperate for the game to reach its conclusion, Weymouth sent out a band of volunteers to work on the playing surface at half-time, which even included chairman Nigel Biddlecombe and vice-chairman Tony Greaves.

Their tremendous efforts worked and at the start of the second period the Terras immediately went for the jugular in a bid to kill the game, as the rain finally stopped.

To their credit, Bedford held firm but, having gone 280 minutes without scoring a goal in the league ahead of kick-off, they were still struggling to break down the Weymouth defence.

The impressive Joyce dragged a shot wide for the Terras on the hour before setting up another chance for Yetton, just moments later, only for his effort to fly over the top.

The hosts were in complete command but they just could not find that third goal.

Yetton, Michael Walker, Sam Poole and substitute McClements all went close before it finally arrived on 86 minutes, when Burbidge bagged his second with a sweet strike into the top corner from 15 yards.

Yetton then headed in the fourth from a sublime free-kick from Winsper three minutes later and although Davis pulled one back late on, it did nothing to dampen the mood amongst the home faithful.

If Matthews can now mastermind another positive result against Poole Town on Boxing Day, the club’s board may just be tempted to give him the job permanently.

The Terras certainly looked well balanced in this game but Thursday's local derby will no doubt be a much bigger test.

Terras: Matthews 7, McConnell 7 (Ford 71), Green 7, Clay 7, M Walker 7, Poole 7, Burbidge 8 (Harvey 87), Winsper 8, Yetton 8, Joyce 8 (McClements 82), S Walker 8. Subs not used: N Walker, Cafer.

Bedford: Green, Cooper, Bufano (Yamfam 57), Stephens, Wall, Nash, Davis, MaCrae, Bailey (McLeary-Stephens 68), Rhiney, Birch. Subs not used: Sonuga, Femiola, Yamfam.

Bookings – None.

Referee: Adam Penwell.

Attendance: 436