WEYMOUTH RESERVES 2

CHRISTCHURCH 2

WEYMOUTH Reserves secured a valuable draw at the Bob Lucas Stadium against promotion-chasing Christchurch.

Terras’ boss Bradley Asagba was particularly pleased with the result following a disjointed end to 2016 for his squad.

He said: “Our Christmas period has been disrupted with eight or nine of our players being unavailable. To compound that we had two or three who had been in bed with Christmas colds.

“Taking that into account we are really pleased to get a point out of the game and what’s more pleasing is the maturity we showed in doing that with what was an incredibly young team including 15 players who were 18 years and younger.

“It was particularly pleasing to take a point off a team looking to win the league or get promoted.”

Despite preparations being hindered in the lead up to the game, Asagba was adamant about how his side would have to approach the game to get a result.

He said: “We knew that Christchurch start matches really well, but we knew we would have our moments so it was a case of managing that opening period which they had the better of. They raced into a two-goal lead in the first half an hour but for us it was just about staying in the game.”

The second half saw the Terras fight back through goals by Morgan Turner and Sanchez Jansz-Baker, and manager Asagba feels his side could have had more.

He added: “We got two goals back relatively early in the half and from there we went on to really assert ourselves and if I’m being greedy I was looking at the fact we missed some chances which could have got us three points rather than one.

“We go out to try and win every game but taking everything into account with players missing, people getting injured during the game and how young a squad we are, we have to be pleased with the point.

What was more pleasing was that we adapted to the circumstances and played the game well.”

The Weymouth boss also had some words for Christchurch manager Ollie Cherrett, who claimed the Terras were “the most direct side I’ve ever seen in my life."

Asagba called the comments “slightly disrespectful” and “ironic”.

He said: “From our perspective with the fact we had such a young team and the fact they were 2-0 up at half-time he should perhaps focus on his own faltering promotion bid rather than worrying about our brand of football.”

Terras: Boore, Ayley (Turner 45), Jansz-Baker, Butcher, Jackson, James (Will 88), Panesar-Dower, Sa, Stewart, Will, Wood (Cummings 69). Subs not used: Pitney, Asagba