WEYMOUTH 2 MENDIP 1

WEYMOUTH are still in with a chance of a top-three finish in the West Clubs Women’s League East Division after a superb 2-1 victory at home to rivals Mendip.

Mendip started at a pace, getting players forward and pushing Weymouth back into their own half, leading to several mistakes.

The hosts then seemed to wake up and forced Mendip to retreat, resulting in the visitors packing their defence.

Creative play by midfielders Casey Foot and Anneka Rogers led to a pass to Emily Austin on the right, and she won a short corner and a chance on goal.

Another short corner followed and, when Rachael Bustin’s strike was saved by the keeper, Chloe Van Crugten pounced to slot home.

Weymouth kept the momentum going, playing the ball around well and gave the visitors the runaround.

A quick spurt up field by sweeper Wendy Butcher and, a well-timed hit into the D, gave Bustin the chance to deflect the ball past the keeper for a 2-0 lead.

The half-time whistle blew and Weymouth were pleased with their performance and possession, but they wanted to keep the healthy scoreline they had gained.

However, Emily Austin’s team were distinctly lacklustre in the early stages of the second half and the defence failed to pick up their opposite numbers.

This lack of discipline resulted in a strike outside the D from a Mendip midfielder finding a team-mate who wrong-footed keeper Alice Craven and made it 2-1.

Weymouth fought to regain some composure, and they kept their passes short to prevent giving possession away cheaply.

The game ended with some good attacking play by Weymouth and another three points on the board, moving them up to fourth after all the sides around them slipped up.

They travel to top of the league Swanage & Wareham today with one game left, at home to Yeovil and Sherborne Seconds, after that.

Weymouth: Austin, Rogers, Craven, Riddler, Butcher, Gadian, Stone, C Foot, Van Crugten, Carter Miles, Bustin, Sauven, Dive, Blundell

Player of the Match: Jacqui Riddler