BOURNEMOUTH V 1

WEYMOUTH II 6

WEYMOUTH Ladies Seconds arrived at Bournemouth sitting top of Channel Division Two by five points with their opposition in second spot.

With only four games left to play and 12 points up for grabs both teams knew that a win was essential to keep title-winning hopes alive.

Weymouth started sluggishly and looked nervous in the opening exchanges with their hosts being physically dominant and more aggressive, but shots from the forward line of Alice Furness and Ellen Dewey helped settle Weymouth as they grew in confidence.

Bournemouth broke with a long clearance and a rare error from the Weymouth defence resulted in them conceding a penalty corner which was dealt with by keeper Ellie Goff and her defensive team of Olivia Culbreth, Carolyn Schofield, Jo Ray, and Berni Cane.

Once again, Bournemouth played a long ball upfield, and on this occasion, a misplaced pass from Weymouth in their own circle let Bournemouth in for an easy goal.

This seemed to spark Weymouth into life with the midfield four of Jenna Bennett, Jemma Brunell, Susie Stone and Annalise Dive increasing their work-rate.

Weymouth were now creating chance after chance and Bee Forder was brought into the Weymouth attack, as they continued to press for an equaliser. Eventually, Dewey equalised with a sweet reverse stick strike into the bottom right corner.

It was now then the turn of Dive to drive Weymouth forward from central midfield, exchanging passes with Ray who in turn fed Dewey, who had her strike saved by the Bournemouth keeper.

But Dive reacted faster than any Bournemouth defender and smashed home the rebound, putting Weymouth 2-1 up at the break.

After the interval, Weymouth won a short corner in the first minute which Brunell clinically dispatched to give the Seasiders a 3-1 lead.

With Weymouth now in the ascendancy and in full flow, Stone picked up the ball outside the 25-yard line and unleashed a thunderbolt reverse stick strike into the bottom left corner to give Weymouth a comfortable lead.

The hosts were not done and refused to give in, pressing the Weymouth defence hard.

But once possession of the ball was regained Bennett played Brunell with a defence-splitting pass and the latter fired in goal number five for Weymouth.

Once again, Forder was introduced to the Weymouth attack and, with the hosts’ defence tiring, she was given the freedom of the Bournemouth circle to find fellow strike partner Bennett to score goal number six for Weymouth.

The Seasiders now sit eight points clear at the top of Channel Division Two and a win at home this coming Saturday against Swanage will seal the league title with two games to spare.

Player of the match: Ellen Dewey