HUNGERFORD TOWN 1

Gyebi 57

WEYMOUTH 1

Bearwish 3

MUCH-IMPROVED Weymouth stopped a run of five Vanarama National League South losses with a 1-1 draw at Hungerford Town, who finished with ten men.

Tom Bearwish netted his second goal of the season with a thumping volley in the third minute.

Weymouth had chances to extend their lead before Jeremiah Gyebi’s header levelled the score in the second half.

George Smith was shown two yellows for the hosts but Weymouth could not break the Crusaders down as their quest for a first win of the season goes on.

READ MORE: Hungerford Town 1-1 Weymouth - how it happened

In search of those elusive three points, Weymouth manager David Oldfield made three changes to the side that began the 2-0 loss to Oxford City on Saturday.

Dan Matsuzaka and Keelan O'Connell earned full recalls after a dead leg and illness respectively, while Portsmouth loanee Dan Gifford claimed his first start for the Terras.

Harry Kyprianou, Brad Ash and Claudio Ofosu dropped to the bench, joined by Jack Seddon and under-23s winger Matty Burrows.

Hungerford had designs on taking the lead in the first minute as Smith powered forward and tested keeper Billy Terrell.

Instead, it was Weymouth who took the lead for the first time this season, in stunning fashion.

Tom Blair orchestrated the goal, his cross arriving for Bearwish to thump a magnificent volley into the top-right corner.

Weymouth nearly made it 2-0 when Blair headed a corner at Ward, before Hungerford came back into the game.

While the Crusaders enjoyed possession, they could not test Terrell again and Weymouth then created a trio of chances.

O’Connell tested home keeper Jed Ward from 18 yards before Matsuzaka headed over a Blair cross.

Gifford then aimed his first shot at goal of the match, Ward making a handy save from his dipping effort.

Hungerford’s physicality gave Weymouth something to ponder in the first half as both Terrell and Nathan Carlyle needed treatment after hitting the deck following challenges.

The sides traded shots ten minutes before the break as Joel Rollinson let fly from 25 yards before Blair’s shot was blocked.

Weymouth threatened again on the counter as Gifford worked Ward and Noa Boutin won a corner from a deflection, only for Ward to command his area well and punch clear.

Crucially, Smith was then booked for cynically preventing a Weymouth attack as O’Connell looked to spread play wide.

After the break, Jake Evans drilled wide from range before Adam Liddle turned and shot at Terrell inside the area.

Weymouth countered immediately but Gifford found his route to goal blocked by a retreating defence.

Blair was next to go in search of a second and although his well-directed effort had Ward scrambling there was not enough power in the attempt.

However, Hungerford claimed an equaliser on 57 minutes as Rollinson forced Terrell into tipping his strike over the bar and Gyebi headed home from the corner.

On balance, the scoreline flattered Hungerford, who had only scored two goals in five matches up to this point.

And just 60 seconds after the goal Weymouth nearly made it 2-1 as Gifford pounced on a loose ball and saw his shot deflected just wide.

Both sides had headers on target in quick succession as Matsuzaka headed down to Ward and Smith then nodded a cross into a crowd of bodies.

Blair was the next victim of a cynical foul by the Crusaders as Liddle was booked for halting his run prior to O’Connell requiring treatment after a heavy challenge.

O’Connell dusted himself down to play his part in a major incident when he raced towards goal and drew a foul from Smith, who was shown a second yellow.

Weymouth could not capitalise, though, as Carlyle blasted over the free-kick from 20 yards.

As the Terras mounted pressure, Boutin cracked an ambitious long-range shot just wide and sub Ofosu gave the Crusaders a headache with his energetic runs.

He wove his way into the box before firing a left-footed shot wide and then tempted Gyebi into hauling him down for yet another caution against Hungerford.

Xander McBurnie chipped in the resulting free-kick but Hungerford scrambled clear to invite the final whistle as Weymouth booked their first point of the season with a positive display.

Hungerford: Ward, Angell, Rollinson (Rusby 79), Liddle (Thomas 71), Evans, Muir, Wylie (McGrory 64), Smith, Berry-Hargreaves, Tyler, Gyebi. Subs not used: Allen, English.

Terras: Terrell, Nippard, McBurnie, Matsuzaka, Carlyle, O'Connell (Ash 90), Bearwish, Boutin, Blair (Ofosu 88), Murray, Gifford. Subs not used: Kyprianou, Seddon, Burrows.

Referee: Stephen Parkinson

Attendance: 580