Hampton & Richmond 1-0 Weymouth: Ben Seymour scores winner

Seymour 89 pen

WEYMOUTH 0

WEYMOUTH were dealt a cruel late blow as Ben Seymour’s 89th-minute penalty handed them a farcical defeat at Hampton & Richmond Borough.

Both sides hit the woodwork either side of two floodlight failures, delaying the game by a total of 42 minutes.

And it was the hosts who coped best as Calvin Brooks was penalised for what seemed a marginal handball decision, allowing Seymour to do the rest.

Weymouth sported two new signings in the squad, with midfielders Olu Durojaiye and Elliott Bolton coming in.

READ MORE: Hampton & Richmond 1-0 Weymouth - how it happened

Durojaiye is a central defensive midfielder with experience at Falkirk, Welling, Haringey and Woking.

Bolton comes in as a free agent, having started his career at AFC Wimbledon and taking in a loan spell at Corinthian Casuals.

Durojaiye was among four changes made by manager Bobby Wilkinson from the 3-2 loss to Maidstone on Saturday.

Olu Durojaiye impressed on his Weymouth debut (Image: MARK PROBIN)

Out went David Sesay, Brandon Goodship, Scott Rees and Ben Thomson, with Rees the only player keeping his squad place on the bench.

Durojaiye, plus Keelan O'Connell, Joel Rollinson and Anthony Cheshire, the latter returning from suspension.

On the bench, Bolton and Rees were joined by Nahum Melvin-Lambert, who made his return from illness, fellow striker Tommy Stagg and attacker Frankie Monk.

Meanwhile, the match was refereed by Emily Heaslip, who officiated this year’s Women’s FA Cup final.

Despite playing a side in 22nd prior to kick-off, the Terras had to weather an early storm as goalkeeper Gerard Benfield clutched Sam Deadfield’s header in the third minute.

Weymouth’s shaky start continued when Brooks’ wayward backpass caught Benfield unaware and the keeper slipped before clawing the ball away.

Ex-Yeovil and Dorchester striker Ben Seymour picked up the loose ball and fed Rob Hall, only for the experienced striker to fire wide.

Hampton continued to look the likelier to score as Ruaridh Donaldson snuck his way to the byline and cut back for Hall, who blasted over.

Weymouth first moment of promise came when Leo Hamblin, playing against his former club, won a free-kick only for Joel Rollinson’s delivery to sail out of play.

Leo Hamblin, left, was one of Weymouth's biggest threats against Hampton (Image: MARK PROBIN)

Weymouth gradually calmed play down and came back into the game, O’Connell registering the Terras’ first shot on target when shooting harmlessly at Adam Desbois.

With Hampton’s bright opening well and truly over, Weymouth went the closest of either side to scoring in the 34th minute.

Hamblin’s cross took a nick on its way behind and the left-back took the corner short to Rollinson whose delivery was hammered against the bar by Dan Roberts.

Before the floodlight failures, Hampton’s match balls were also failing as there were several stoppages to change balls that were deemed under-pumped.

When half-time came, so did darkness and all at the ground were subjected to a delay before play restarted 20 minutes behind schedule.

Hampton once more began the stronger, hitting the outside of the post with a Hall free-kick.

Weymouth responded as O’Connell and skipper Tom Bearwish guided shots over before the Terras needed good defending at the other end to hook clear Dean Inman’s header off the line.

Weymouth were just beginning to build a head of steam, O’Connell darting inside and working Desbois into a good save, before the floodlights went out again.

Keelan O'Connell had two of Weymouth's best efforts at goal (Image: MARK PROBIN)

There was a further 22-minute delay before play restarted, Hamblin the first to try his luck with a skied effort.

Hampton settled the quicker after the second restart and Durojaiye needed to make a good block to stop a Beavers attack in its tracks.

Weymouth made two changes as Stagg and Monk came on for Rollinson and Roberts but Hampton enjoyed the best of the latter stages.

Jake Gray smashed a free-kick into the Weymouth wall and Shane Dunne fizzed a long-range effort inches wide as the hosts eyed a winner.

It would come in the 89th minute via the spot.

Brooks was the player penalised for what appeared a soft handball and Seymour stepped up to haunt Weymouth with a well-taken penalty, sending Benfield the wrong way.

Weymouth had one last chance in a strangely short three added minutes but Bearwish could not make meaningful contact on a low ball across the box and the Terras were defeated for a fourth game in succession.

Hampton & Richmond: Desbois, Thomas, Donaldson, Inman, Fernandez, Hall (Bloomfield 58), Seymour, Gray, Deadfield, Wishart, Dunne. Subs not used: Cheadle, Whittingham, Vazagkasvili, Pitblado.

Terras: Benfield, Brooks, Cheshire, Thompson, Hamblin, O'Connell, Rowan, Bearwish, Durojaiye (Melvin-Lambert 90), Rollinson (Stagg 79), Roberts (Monk 79). Subs not used: Rees, Bolton.

Referee: Emily Heaslip.

Attendance: 723.