WEYMOUTH RESERVES 1 MERE TOWN 0

CARL McClements struck late on to preserve his side’s lead at the top of the Dorset Premier League and leave boss Jake Richmond purring over the Terras’ dogged display at the Bob Lucas Stadium.

As well as praising his youngsters for fighting right to the end to secure the three points, Richmond also paid tribute to fitness guru Neil Carter for his work with the Weymouth squad.

In a game of very few chances, it was good work from Sam Nichols and Lloyd Beals that helped set up McClements for his match winner with just three minutes left.

And Richmond reckons that being pushed by Carter in training has played a big part in his players’ ability to keep going for the full 90 minutes – something they weren’t quite managing last term.

“It was really pleasing that my young lads could tough it out, hang in there and win it at the death,” said Richmond. “A lot of them grew up on Saturday and there wasn’t really a bad performance in the whole team.

“The most pleasing thing was we got a late goal, which we have done a few times this season. Last season, we would have lost games like that but we kept going to the death.

“And that is down to Neil Carter who has been instrumental in improving the fitness of the lads, and without people like him I couldn’t do this job.

“The lads have worked hard on their fitness with Neil and that work is paying off.”

On the match itself, Richmond added: “If we had lost the game I would have been gutted. There was only one clear-cut chance and that was the one we had with three minutes to go.

“Mere switched off, Sam Nichols cut the ball back to Lloyd Beals, he found Carl McClements, and Clemo scored from six yards. I can’t praise the lads enough. They are young lads who are learning to grind out results and battle against older, physical players.

“Aston Butcher and Adam Anstey were outstanding at centre-back and the midfield worked their socks off.”

The result makes up for the Terras’ 7-2 defeat to Mere earlier in the season, a match Richmond was keen to remind his players of before kick-off.

“That was the only time this season when the lads have given up and I reminded them of that before the game,” he said.

“I told them that if we were only going to win one more game this season then make sure it was that one.”

Terras: Park, Harvey, Butcher, Anstey, J Will, G Will, Preece (P Ford 80), Beals, Nichols, Asagba, McClements. Sub not used: Jackson.