WEYMOUTH 2

McQuoid 3, McCarthy 25

WREXHAM 3

Vassell 73, 74, Hall-Johnson 90+5

WEYMOUTH squandered a 2-0 half-time lead as Wrexham completed a stunning turnaround to win 3-2 at the Bob Lucas Stadium.

The remarkable loss extended to five the Terras’ losing run in the Vanarama National League – scarcely believable after an electric first-half saw Josh McQuoid and Jake McCarthy head home.

Weymouth were comfortable with 73 minutes played but a Theo Vassell double inside a minute turned the initiative in favour of the visitors.

Sub Shamir Mullings saw red for an off the ball incident before Reece Hall-Johnson’s floating cross found the far corner to break Weymouth hearts.

To compound matters, Weymouth boss Brian Stock saw red for comments made to referee Jacob Miles after the final whistle.

Before the night's drama unfolded, Stock made two changes to the side that began the 2-1 defeat at Wealdstone on Saturday.

Ollie Harfield (ankle) and Calvin Brooks (knee) returned to full fitness to take their place in the starting XI.

Brennan Camp missed out completely, while Myles Anderson was dropped to the bench.

In Weymouth’s previous outing in the 2008/09 National League season, Wrexham did the double over the Terras with respective 3-1 and 2-0 wins away and home.

Early on there was no sign of history repeating itself as Weymouth made an electric start.

Stock’s men took the lead in the third minute after a fabulous move, Ollie Harfield’s chip perfectly picking out Ben Thomson six yards out.

Unmarked and with a clear sight of goal, Thomson showed immense unselfishness to square his header for the stooping McQuoid to nod home on his 31st birthday.

It took until the 12th minute for Wrexham to take a shy at goal as Elliott Durrell drilled harmlessly wide from 25 yards.

If Wrexham were toothless up front, Zaid Al-Hussaini was anything but as some silky footwork dazzled the Red Dragons’ defence and the winger was unlucky to see a goalbound shot skim off the defence for a throw.

Shortly after, Josh Leslie-Smith went down with an injury and had to be replaced by Anderson, who helped keep five clean sheets in his loan spell at Hampton & Richmond.

Weymouth were unaffected by the change and promptly doubled their lead in the 25th minute as Sean Shields’ pinpoint corner picked out Jake McCarthy to muscle a venomous header into the top-right corner.

Weymouth were sizzling in attack at this stage as McQuoid lashed wide from 20 yards before Al-Hussaini was blocked by a last-ditch tackle having beaten three defenders.

Al-Hussaini sliced high and wide following another cut inside from the right, before Wrexham briefly threatened.

Throwing himself to ground, Anderson did well to block two goalbound efforts in rapid succession as the Terras cleared the Welsh side’s best attack of the half.

Wrexham were creeping into the game as Jay Harris fizzed a 20-yard shot wide of the far post, but Weymouth keeper Jack Bycroft did not have a serious save to make all half.

Stock replaced the diligent Thomson at half-time with fellow striker Shamir Mullings, while Wrexham hauled off left-back Jamie Reckford for Jordan Davies.

Davies had a near instant impact as Harfield sliced his free-kick behind for a corner, which saw the Welsh side crowd the goalline.

Their aggressive tactics worked as Weymouth failed to clear convincingly before Luke Young scooped over from 18 yards.

Stock seemed content to protect the 2-0 lead as Weymouth setup noticeably more defensively, allowing Wrexham to construct numerous attacks.

Try as they might, the Red Dragons could not engineer a clear chance, leading to two more subs as Tanzania international Adi Yussuf came on for Kwame Thomas and Dan Jarvis replaced Durrell.

The changes made an immediate impact as Vassell reacted quickest to a deflected effort that came back off the post to tuck home from three yards.

Within a minute, the Red Dragons were level as Weymouth backed off and allowed Vassell to drill a sweet strike past Bycroft for his second of the game.

In complete contrast to the first half, Weymouth were now hanging on as Wrexham piled on the pressure in search of a winner.

McQuoid had put a fantastic shift in and was replaced in the 83rd minute by Cooke to give Weymouth fresh legs up front.

Cooke poked a corner just wide after Ngalo, who earlier escaped punishment for a flailing arm, saw a shot blocked and Al-Hussaini’s follow-up deflected over.

Wrexham then received a boost when Mullings saw red for an alleged off-the-ball incident, setting up a tense finale for the Terras’ faithful.

Weymouth had a clear penalty shout denied when a Wrexham defender handled a Brooks cross before Hall-Johnson’s looping cross found the far corner, floating over Bycroft to seal a dramatic comeback.

After the final whistle, referee Miles brandished a second red, this time to a furious Stock, as the Terras’ night worsened further.

Terras: Bycroft, Jordan, Ngalo, McCarthy, Thomson (Mullings 46), McQuoid (Cooke 83), Leslie-Smith (Anderson 23), Brooks, Al-Hussaini, Harfield, Shields.

Subs not used: Benfield, Hoey.

Wrexham: Lainton, Hall-Johnson, Reckord (Davies 46), Vassell, Pearson, Harris, Durrell (Jarvis 69), Young, Ponticelli, Kelleher, Thomas (Yussuf 69).

Subs not used: Dibble, Horsfield.

Referee: Jacob Miles