ANDOVER 5 WEYMOUTH 2

WEYMOUTH travelled to high-flying Andover for their penultimate game of the season knowing they would end the campaign in fourth place regardless of the results of their two final games.

Despite that, the Seasiders hoped to end their campaign on the road on a high note but it was not to be, losing 5-2 to a well-drilled Andover side.

Centre-back Michael Westlake returned for the Seasiders after recovering from a calf strain and Matthew Bell also came back into the side.

The visitors started poorly, allowing the hosts to overload their defence and create early chances, and Andover soon opened the scoring with a good passing move.

But against the run of play Weymouth snatched an equaliser.

Midfielder Daniel Bowles played a long ball into the Andover defence that somehow found its way to forward Luke Drewitt high in the circle.

Drewitt carried the ball to the left of goal and lifted it high into the net on the reverse over the diving keeper.

Andover punished Weymouth for a spell shortly after, scoring three goals in quick succession, and the Seasiders then failed to convert several penalty corners.

After the break the hosts, with a 4-1 lead, again started the better of the two sides but Weymouth then produced a period in which they dominated possession.

Bowles grabbed a goal back through a broken down penalty corner routine and, for a time, the hosts looked shaken and exposed to a potential comeback.

Unfortunately the Seasiders couldn’t capitalise further and when Andover scored on the break to take the scoreline to 5-2 the hopes for the visitors were dashed.

It also got worse for Weymouth when they lost skipper Simon Harvey to the sin bin in the latter stages for voicing his frustration at an umpire’s decision against his team in front of the Andover goal.

Weymouth’s final game of the season will be at home to Winchester tomorrow at Redlands.

Man of the match: Matthew Bell

Weymouth goals: Luke Drewitt, Daniel Bowles