Welling woe for young Terras (From Dorset Echo)

Welling woe for young Terras

6:11pm Saturday 13th March 2010

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A YOUNG Weymouth side, made up almost entirely of reserves, forced Welling United to work hard for their victory in what could be the Terras’ last ever game at the Wessex Stadium.

The 3-0 result – confirmed by strikes from Lee Clarke and Dean Cracknell – means Blue Square South relegation is likely to be confirmed when these two sides meet again on Tuesday, March 23.

In front of the second lowest gate of the season – just 405 – those who did make the trip to the Wessex Stadium could have been forgiven for thinking they were at a reserve game by the few faces around them and the unfamiliar players on the pitch.

With the departures of Scott Brice, Martin Slocombe, Matt Groves, Jake Reid, Josh Llewellyn, Jordan Rose and Luke Benbow in the week, there were starts for the likes of Shane Evans – who was playing for Bridport Reserves at the start of the year.

Nathan Davies also returned to Newport County after his loan and the Terras’ squad issues worsened ahead of kick-off, with the names of Cameron Mawer (suspended) and Pierre Joseph-Dubois (hamstring injury), as well as loanees Stephen Reed and Ben Farrell, missing from the team-sheet.

A minute’s silence in memory of local sportsman Adie Voss was held before kick-off, but once the game got underway the Terras’ fans were anything but silent, defying the troubles their beloved club faces on and off the field.

Some neat interchange of passing between Evans and captain-for-the-day Simon Radcliffe, allowed Carl Foster the first sight of goal, from 20 yards, but Charlie Mitten scrambled across to his right and saved.

A shaky looking Andy Harris had John Lamb to thank for deflecting Clarke’s effort behind as Welling attacked for the first time in the fifth minute but the caretaker-manager tried to make up for it when he drifted a 45-yard free-kick over Mitten’s head. However, it also cleared the crossbar.

The visitors thought they had taken the lead inside 10 minutes when Tom Whitnell headed in, only to see it ruled out for offside, and Welling custodian Mitten had to be on his toes again to save at Evans’ feet after a delightful flick through by Ben Reiffer.

Tim Sandercombe beat away Jamie Day’s free-kick as the Terras passed the magic 20-minute mark without conceding and Clarke helped extend the home side’s clean sheet by clearing the bar with United’s best chance.

Sam Hurrell forced Sandercombe into a good save at his near post, although the Welling winger’s 10-yard volley was probably heading wide, but the Terras nearly scrambled one home from a corner, Jamie McGuinness eventually nodding over.

Weymouth survived six late first-half corners, but only just with the third one. Radcliffe blocked Graeme Andrews’ header on the line with the skipper and goalkeeper Sandercombe just keeping out Whitnell’s follow up.

Clarke also saw his header creep past the post but the half-time whistle came and the Terras players left the field to a much-deserved round of applause.

Sandercombe made a great save from Hurrell within 30 seconds of the start of the second half but Welling finally broke Weymouth’s resistance in the 49th minute when Clarke glanced home Jamie Day’s free-kick.

Jamie Frampton superbly cleared Louis Fazakerley’s fierce shot off the line and Sandercombe was in top form again to deny Dean’s daisy-cutter.

Welling were much livelier than they had been in the first half and Cracknell headed in Day’s left-wing corner to make it 2-0, effectively wrapping up the points with more than half an hour still to play.

Clarke was denied his second by another top-drawer block from Sandercombe and substitute Tony Finn also found Sandercombe equal to his effort from an acute angle.

Weymouth did briefly respond when Tom Richardson, who had been introduced in place of Evans, linked well with Foster but the former drove wide after initially releasing Foster on the left, but it was still all Welling.

Radcliffe made a superb block to deny Fazackerley, who sent the rebound wide, and Sandercombe made his best save of the match to tip Finn’s powerful drive over the bar and Clarke thumped the bar with a header.

It was Clarke who rounded off the scoring, converting Jake Hobbs’ free-kick but he missed his chance for a hat-trick when he crashed a spot-kick against the bar after handball by Ryan McKechnie.

Terras: Sandercombe, Tribe, Dixon, McGuinness, Frampton, Harris, Lamb (McKechnie 59), Reiffer (Vincent 75), Evans (Richardson 67), Foster, Radcliffe. Subs not used: Walker, Neish.

Welling: Mitten, Cutler, Dean, Day, Andrews, Parkinson, Fazakerley (Hobbs 86), Cracknell, Whitnell (Sagna 63), Clarke, Hurrell (Finn 67). Subs not used: Femi, Bakare.

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