BAKER’S GOT THE WINNING APPETITE
Holmes in away day hell
MATT Holmes bemoaned Wimborne’s “story of the season” as his side succumbed to a late strike from substitute Harry Baker just when the visiting fans were anticipating only their second point on their travels this campaign.
The Magpies boss felt the game summed up how games have ended of late: “We have acquitted ourselves well, worked our socks off and put in a performance against the league leaders.
“But it’s happened three or four times so far where we haven't been able to see a tight game out.
“I'm especially disappointed and frustrated for the boys who stuck together and really didn't look like a team at the bottom.”
Both sides struggled to adjust to blustery conditions in what was a messy start to the first half, where the first meaningful effort on goal didn’t arrive until the midpoint when Brandon Goodship’s low drive had to be parried away by Gerrard Benfield.
On the half hour, Goodship steered a 30-yarder goalwards but again Benfield was equal to it and pushed the ball round for a corner, from which Warren Bentley hooked a volley in at the back post that the keeper did well to block.
Goodship was denied again moments later by a terrific Matt Oldring block, just before the striker whizzed yet another effort just wide.
There was to be little doubt who the star performer of the first period would be five minutes before
the break when Benfield pulled off a great double save to deny both Abdulai Baggie and then Goodship.
In the second half, an almost comical moment saw Baggie run to the by-line and his low centre appeared to ping off players around the Magpies’ box before falling to Stephane Zubar at the back post, who then missed.
This seemed to sum up Weymouth’s afternoon but the introduction of Baker for Bentley was to prove decisive in the 84th minute as the substitute wasted no time in driving his first opportunity low past Benfield from the edge of the box.
To their credit the Magpies responded well to this setback and a late chance fell to substitute Louis Kellaway who contrived to shoot wide four yards.
Weymouth manager Mark Molesley said: “It is always going to be tense when we had a lot of the ball but credit to Wimborne, they were really organised.”