WEYMOUTH 5

Brooks 3, Thomson 22, Johnson 43 og, Whelan 55 pen, Hoey 84

MAIDSTONE UNITED 1

Corne 75

HIGH-FLYING Weymouth eased up to third place in the Vanarama National South standings and are now 13 points clear of eighth-placed Hampton & Richmond as they dished out a long-overdue drubbing to luckless visitors Maidstone.

Strangely, this was the first time the Terras had recorded a home victory better than a single goal winning margin since they overwhelmed Braintree 3-0 at the Bob Lucas Stadium in late October.

And there were thrills and spills aplenty in this, sometimes comical, clash against the full-time Stones but there was also some fabulous football played despite the lingering presence of Storm Jorge.

Perhaps the only obvious blemish in this rousing triumph over seasoned opponents ahead of potential play-off ties was the team's continued inability to find the net from the penalty spot.

On this occasion Weymouth, who were rightly awarded three penalties, could enjoy the luxury of missing two of them as early goals from Calvin Brooks and Ben Thomson set them on their way to a comprehensive victory.

After Abdulai Baggie had missed the game's first penalty and own goal before the break made it 3-0 before Tom Whelan buried a spot kick after the break.

After Whelan had missed a third penalty, Sam Corne pulled one back for the Stones before substitute Jack Hoey wrapped up the scoring late on.

There were just two changes to the home starting XI from last weekend's stalemate with Billericay as striker Brett Williams dropped to the bench while central defender Stephane Zubar was not included in the match day sixteen at all.

In their places came AFC Bournemouth loan midfielder Jaidon Anthony for a first ever Weymouth start, and Josh Wakefield was handed a start while Hoey took up Yemi Odubade's place among the substitutes.

The hosts got off to a dream start, flying out of the blocks to edge ahead inside three minutes.

The Stones looked like they were still on the bus as Abdulai Baggie began a move down the right flank that saw Brooks embark on a twisting run.

Cutting inside, the wing-back tormented full-back Ryan Johnson before taking aim eight yards out and his shot fizzed inside the right post

There was a brief scare at the other end six minutes later when Corne teed up Justin Amaluzor for a close-range attempt that was blocked out and that was as good as it got for the visitors in a one-sided first period.

On 17 minutes Brooks could not quite direct his back post header on target from a deep Ollie Harfield corner but then moments later the dominant Terras doubled their lead through Thomson.

Josh McQuoid slipped in the striker on the left corner of the area and he calmly stroked the ball into the far corner to give Chris Lewington in the away goal no chance at all.

Then, within seconds, the home team were rightly awarded the first of three spot-kicks after Anthony had seen his shot parried out to Baggie who was pulled over.

Alas, the winger bravely stepped up but his effort from 12 yards lacked any real conviction and was almost casually palmed away by Lewington.

Just past the half-hour mark both Wakefield and Lewis Knight were cautioned for rash challenges but the former showed his true worth in the next attack as his determined run and low centre had to be cut out by Ross Marshall for a corner.

Next, in the 40th minute, McQuoid smashed in a low drive from a tight angle that Lewington could only spill out to the lurking Baggie whose meek effort was blocked for another corner.

However, the Terras were to boast a 3-0 cushion at the break in somewhat bizarre circumstances.

The impressive Thomson powered into the box but his attempted pass to Anthony was deflected straight to Ross Marshall 10 yards from goal.

It appeared the centre-back would complete a routine clearance but, quite comically, he somehow contrived to smash the ball straight into teammate Johnson and the ball span into an empty net with Lewington stranded.

After the break the Stones enjoyed a brief period on the front foot as Marshall rose to head their first corner of the game just wide two minutes in and then, following a rare mistake from Harfield, Amaluzor saw his shot blocked out.

But, the first opportunity for the hosts to extend their lead further arrived just 10 minutes into the second half with the award of a second penalty.

Brooks worked the ball down the right to Baggie who pulled the ball back to Thomson ready to fire in an effort.

However, Johnson’s torrid afternoon got a whole lot worse as he tripped the striker to earn a yellow card and gift the Terras another spot-kick.

This time Whelan stepped up to try his luck and he fared much better than Baggie as he emphatically fired home high to Lewington’s left for 4-0.

Weymouth fans were buoyed on the hour as Andy Robinson made his long-awaited return from injury in place of Wakefield and then amazingly, the hosts were handed a third spot-kick just 13 minutes after the second.

This time Brooks was sent tumbling but, stepping up again, a hesitant Whelan elected for sheer power and Lewington flung himself to his left to pull off a terrific block.

The Stones then rallied a little and were able to gain some scant consolation when Sam Corne headed a deep free-kick past Ward at the second attempt, after the keeper had pushed the initial header skywards.

But Weymouth were to have the final say with a fifth goal in the 84th minute.

Substitute Williams fired across goal an effort that Lewington could only parry straight out, and there was fellow substitute Jack Hoey to thrash home.

Terras: Ward, Harfield, Wakefield (Robinson 60), Whelan, McCarthy, Thomson (Williams 73), McQuoid, Baggie (Hoey 70), Anthony, Brooks, Hobson. Subs not used: Childs, Olumuyiwa.

Maidstone: Lewington, Hoyte, Knight (Temelci 60), Corne, Amaluzor, Watters, Wishart, Allen (Tingley 71), Khan, Johnson, Marshall. Subs not used: Cole, Gilbert, Williams.

Attendance: 956