Hendon 2-0 Weymouth: Greens claim upset in FA Trophy

MacNab 27, Leonard 90+3

WEYMOUTH 0

TAME Weymouth were knocked out of the Isuzu FA Trophy by lower-league opposition as Hendon claimed a 2-0 victory at Silver Jubilee Park.

The Terras lacked any sort of spark up front and were deservedly behind after 27 minutes when Finlay MacNab slotted home from Gerard Benfield’s parry.

Dan Roberts and new signing Joe Cook went closest for Weymouth, who simply were not at the races.

Hendon, who were excellent all game, then put the tie to bed on the break in the third of four added minutes.

READ MORE: Hendon 2-0 Terras - how it happened

Billy Leonard had space and time to tap home into an empty net as the Greens made the fourth round, pocketing £4,500 in the process.

Weymouth boss Bobby Wilkinson made three changes to the starting XI that began the 3-1 loss at Torquay in midweek.

Right-back Teddy Howe returned from suspension, while top-scorer Ezio Touray was recalled to start and new loan signing Cook made his debut after joining from Dorking Wanderers.

Joe Cook made his Weymouth debut (Image: MARK PROBIN)

They came in at the expense of the benched Anthony Cheshire and Keelan O'Connell, while striker Ben Thomson did not make the squad.

Weymouth named only six of the seven permitted subs, with Jason Matthews, Joel Rollinson, under-23s striker Elliot Rossiter and attacking midfielder Tyrique Clarke also in the dugout.

Hendon came into the game billed as the underdogs based on their Step 3 status but the Greens only lie 17 places beneath Weymouth in the English football pyramid.

The Londoners were certainly unfazed as striker Niko Muir’s cheeky backheel was denied by Weymouth keeper Benfield in only the second minute.

With a gusty wind proving a real leveller, Hendon grappled with the conditions more astutely as several Weymouth corners went to waste, in part due to the elements.

Touray drilled wide from distance in the 17th minute as Weymouth tried to get going but Hendon, with only one loss in nine home league matches this season, appeared the more confident side.

Moments after Greens’ captain Joe White forced Benfield into a save with his legs, Hendon took the lead as MacNab pounced on a Benfield parry to score from close range.

Weymouth could only respond when Roberts fizzed a cross through the box before Elliott Bolton skewed a shot just over the top-left corner.

Weymouth did mount late pressure but a wayward Cook effort from Goodship’s corner summed up a disappointing half.

Weymouth struggled with their set-pieces all game (Image: MARK PROBIN)

The Terras did begin the second half more positively but found chances hard to create, despite two more corners.

Muir meanwhile whistled a shot past Benfield’s upright, giving a reminder of the hosts’ danger, before Goodship again made life too easy for Hendon keeper Brad House from a corner.

Weymouth should have done better on the break in the 59th minute as Roberts broke into the box but, in electing for power, lost accuracy as he drilled wide.

Dan Roberts, left, had one of Weymouth's best chances (Image: MARK PROBIN)

That proved to be his last involvement as he and Bolton were hooked on the hour for O’Connell and Rollinson.

Weymouth’s nerves then jangled slightly as Benfield picked up a booking for handling outside the area with cover around him, although Kai Brosnan’s wild shot from the free-kick failed to punish the Terras.

In a sign of Weymouth’s woes up front, Leo Hamblin scuffed a bobbling shot at Hendon’s goal 18 minutes from time.

Weymouth mounted growing pressure in the final 15 minutes, Cook testing House from 20 yards, but Hendon’s counter-attacking always looked menacing and White fired over in a three-on-three situation after Brosnan’s pass.

Weymouth’s lack of potency from corners again cost them late on as Hendon were barely troubled from two more set-pieces, before Cook claimed the Terras’ first shot on target from 20 yards in the 80th minute.

Hendon then ate into the remaining time by pinning Weymouth back, although Leonard released the pressure by dragging a disappointing shot wide.

However, he made amends on the counter as Weymouth pushed up for an unlikely equaliser, applying the finishing touches to Brosnan’s assist in the 93rd minute.

The final whistle sounded soon afterwards, with Weymouth having to lick their wounds after an uncomfortable defeat, £1,250 in prize money their only consolation.

Hendon: House, Adenola, Perry, Riley-Snow, Matsuzaka, Light, MacNab (Semakula 70), Leonard, White, Muir, Brosnan. Subs not used: Ada, Olarerin, Allison, Lucien.

Terras: Benfield, Howe, Hamblin, Cook, Durojaiye, Bearwish, Roberts (O’Connell 60), Goodship, Touray, Bolton (Rollinson 60), Brooks. Subs not used: Matthews, Cheshire, Rossiter, Clarke.

Referee: Harry Wager.