Weymouth 2-4 Hampton & Richmond: Beavers in comeback win

Linton 25, Bearwish 39

HAMPTON & RICHMOND 4

Pitblado 20 pen, Fernandez 42, 45+3, Anifowose 70

WEYMOUTH slipped to a third consecutive Vanarama National League South defeat as Hampton & Richmond emerged comfortable 4-2 winners at the Bob Lucas Stadium.

Malachi Linton’s handball allowed Isaac Pitblado to score from the spot but Weymouth hit back to deservedly lead 2-1 with Linton’s tidy finish and a rocket from Tom Bearwish.

However, two close-range headers from Luis Fernandez made it 3-2 to Hampton before half-time, exposing more poor Weymouth defending after the 4-1 loss to Worthing on Saturday.

And Josh Anifowose’s 70th-minute goal completed the scoring against a flat Weymouth side that has now conceded 12 goals in their last four matches since the departure of loanee centre-half Joe Cook.

READ MORE: Weymouth 2-4 Hampton & Richmond - how it happened

Weymouth, who have now shipped eight goals at home in four days, saw manager Bobby Wilkinson make just one change to the starting XI that began the Worthing defeat.

Bobby Wilkinson showed just one change to his starting line-up (Image: MARK PROBIN)

Elliott Bolton dropped to the bench, with Keelan O'Connell coming in to replace him.

Weymouth retained four substitutes as Dan Roberts, Ezio Touray, Harry Jones and Naz Bakrin all kept their places in the squad along with Bolton.

All the build-up to the game centred on two controversial decisions in past meetings, involving an icy pitch at Weymouth in 2022/23 and the other for a 45-minute delay due to floodlight failure at Hampton earlier this season.

While the former match was postponed, the other was not, motivating the Terras for this fixture.

Instead, Hampton & Richmond appeared the brighter of the two sides early on, Jake Gray twice drilling with power at Terras’ keeper Gerard Benfield.

By contrast, Weymouth’s 19-minute wait for their first shot in anger was worthwhile as Bearwish pelted a sweet left-footed 25-yard volley at Beavers’ keeper Adam Desbois.

However, seconds later Weymouth conceded a penalty when Linton was adjudged to have handled in the box, allowing Isaac Pitblado to send Benfield the wrong way from the spot.

Weymouth’s response was immediate, stemming from arguably the move of the half, as Harry Parsons’ chipped pass was cushioned on the volley by Teddy Howe into Linton, who blasted home under little duress inside the box.

Malachi Linton, right, celebrates after scoring Weymouth's opener (Image: MARK PROBIN)

Anifowose and Brandon Goodship traded shots at goal in an open contest but there always appeared to be more goals in the offing.

Weymouth duly went 2-1 up in style when Linton dispossessed the Beavers on halfway to create a four-on-two. Goodship raced through on the left but looked to have wasted the chance as he hesitated to shoot.

The home fans need not have worried, however, as he teed up Bearwish to score with a crisp strike into the top-right corner from 20 yards.

Much to Weymouth’s irritation, though, they found themselves behind at the break after two identical goals.

Both came from Sam Deadfield corners, allowing Fernandez first to head home unchallenged from six yards for 2-2 before repeating the trick for 3-2 from just three yards out, punishing slack Weymouth defending.

Luis Fernandez, bottom red, scored two headers in six minutes to flip the game on its head (Image: MARK PROBIN)

Weymouth showed little evidence to suggest they would equalise in the second half as O’Connell and Parsons both sliced well wide of goal.

Even Wilkinson’s decision to remove O’Connell for top-scorer Touray provided little spark as Hampton registered a fourth goal in the 70th minute.

Keelan O'Connell came back into the Weymouth side (Image: MARK PROBIN)

Weymouth failed to deal with a low cross from the right, allowing Anifowose a free shot through Benfield’s fingertips into the bottom-right corner.

The Terras tried to build their way back into the match but by now their level had dropped significantly as a number of corners and free-kicks into the box failed to hit their targets.

Dean Inman, who had sent a header over in the first half, then nodded a half-chance weakly at Benfield as the Beavers threatened a fifth.

Weymouth waited until the 87th minute to make two further changes as Goodship and Parsons came off for Roberts and Jones.

However, their introduction came too late to affect the game as Hampton saw one last chance from Tope Fadahunsi deflected over before the visitors comfortably saw the remaining time out to nip their two-game winless run in the bud.

Terras: Benfield, Howe, Hamblin, Panter, Jo Thompson, Durojaiye, K O'Connell (Touray 58), Goodship (Roberts 87), Bearwish, Parsons (Jones 87), Linton. Subs not used: Bakrin, Bolton.

Hampton & Richmond: Desbois, Inman, Fernandez, Gray, Deadfield (Brown 90+1), Fadahunsi, Kurran-Browne (Wishart 63), Pitblado, Revan, Anifowose (Gibson-Hammond 86), C O'Connell. Subs not used: Hall, Dreyer.

Referee: Sam Read.

Attendance: 689.