CHESTERFIELD 4

Tshimanga 23 pen, 45, 58, Khan 72

WEYMOUTH 0

TEN-MAN Weymouth were thumped 4-0 at new Vanarama National League leaders Chesterfield on a nightmarish afternoon for the Terras at the Technique Stadium.

Ollie Harfield, on his 100th Weymouth appearance, saw red for handball on the line, gifting a penalty to Kabongo Tshimanga who made no mistake from the spot.

Tshimanga doubled his tally just before the break and added a third on the hour as Weymouth struggled to contain the high-flying Spireites.

Saidou Khan notched a fourth as Weymouth were punished further after Harfield’s dismissal.

Ahead of what became a grim afternoon, Weymouth made two changes to the side that began the 1-0 win over King's Lynn Town two weeks ago.

READ MORE: Chesterfield 4-0 Weymouth - how it happened

Dropped to the bench were Brandon Goodship and Cameron Murray, with centre-halves Ben Morgan and Tyler Cordner coming in.

New signing Tom Blair took his place on the bench, along with Martell Taylor-Crossdale and Sean Shields.

All five subs were either wingers or strikers – which gave Weymouth little option but to shuffle their pack when Harfield was sent off.

Chesterfield applied six alterations to their side, with Jamie Grimes, Scott Loach, Curtis Weston, debutant Tyrone Williams, Tshimanga and James Kellermann all coming in.

In a first half that worsened for the Terras as it wore on, the visitors had actually made a good start.

Josh Leslie-Smith probed the hosts with three long throws all in the first 10 minutes, although Chesterfield dealt well with his deliveries.

Jeff King tested former Chesterfield keeper Ross Fitzsimons with a couple of stinging shots soon afterwards, with the Terras’ man unmoved.

Fitzsimons also had to save a weak Tshimanga shot – but there was little he could do about Chesterfield’s opener.

With the Spireites on course for what seemed an almost certain goal, Harfield was adjudged to have stuck an arm out to deny Khan’s goalbound shot.

He was subsequently sent off as referee Paul Marsden awarded a penalty, which Tshimanga stroked down the middle for 1-0.

Chesterfield sensed blood as Khan’s effort was punched away by Fitzsimons and home cries for a penalty were ignored after new signing Luke Croll went to ground in the box.

Weymouth showed belief as they continued to press Chesterfield despite the numerical disadvantage.

However, realistic hopes of a positive result were extinguished seconds before half-time.

Fortune deserted the Terras when Kellermann’s shot deflected perfectly for Tshimanga to tap home his second from just two yards.

Manager Brian Stock made two changes at half-time to address the one-man disadvantage as Omar Mussa and Morgan came off for Murray and Shields.

After the restart Josh Leslie-Smith made a stunning block to deny the hosts a third, although Weymouth would only stay two behind for seven minutes.

Sub Zak McCourt, on for the injured Manny Oyeleke, fired a deflected effort which Tshimanga collected and the striker just managed to get enough contact on the ball while rounding Fitzsimons to see his hat-trick goal trickle over the line.

Tshimanga had what he thought was a fourth goal ruled out for offside before he was replaced by Stefan Payne.

King tested Fitzsimons yet again before Chesterfield grabbed a fourth on 72 minutes.

It was a deserved goal for Khan, who scooped up possession on the edge of the area before firing low into the bottom corner to send the near 6,000 crowd into rapturous applause.

Payne was next to find the net but once more Chesterfield had an effort chalked off for offside.

Khan fired into the side netting as the hosts showed no mercy in hunting a fifth goal.

Weymouth had little to show for their efforts in the second half as a Josh McQuoid free-kick was easily headed away.

However, the Terras did manage to limit the damage in the closing stages to four goals on what was a miserable afternoon for the visitors.

Stock’s men dropped back to 18th in the process as their five-game unbeaten run, including the Yeovil FA Cup draws, came to an end.

Chesterfield: Loach, Whittle, Williams, Grimes, Croll, King, Weston, Oyeleke (McCourt 50), Kellermann (Mandeville 75), Khan, Tshimanga (Payne 64). Subs not used: Tyson, Kerr.

Terras: Fitzsimons, Morgan (Murray 46), Cordner, Mussa (Shields 46), Thomson (Taylor-Crossdale 61), McQuoid, Bearwish, Leslie-Smith, Robinson, Harfield, Olomowewe. Subs not used: Goodship, Blair.

Referee: Paul Marsden

Attendance: 5,862