The Fleet come unstuck in the Fifth Round of the Setanta Shield as Weymouth romp to a 4-0 victory…
WEYMOUTH 4-0 EBBSFLEET UNITED
The Fleet’s poor record at the Wessex Stadium continued as they lost for the third time in succession in this evening’s Setanta Shield clash against Weymouth. With seven changes from the side that beat the Terras at the weekend, Manager of the Month Liam Daish and his men seemed content to play a containment action in the first half as both sides saw fit to slog out a grinding midfield battle. The only action of any note came from a Michael Bostwick pass on six minutes that Chris McPhee hit against the bar and at the other end a Michael Malcolm chance that was thwarted by Fleet debutant Ronnie Bull. Fleet had the better of the first half hour or so but in truth the game had ‘stalemate’ written all over it.
It was a different story in the second half as Weymouth got their noses in front early and took their lead as a cue to grow in confidence, perhaps scenting their first home win since 6 October. Their first goal came on 54 minutes, Stuart Beavon proving too quick for a ponderous Fleet back line and sliding the ball under Sam Mott. Seven minutes later it was 2-0, Marcus Browning having the simplest of opportunities to knock the ball home at the far post after good work by Paolo Vernazza. It was 3-0 on 77 minutes, the impressive Beavon grabbing his second of the game as he exploited a ricochet off Gary MacDonald and Weymouth rubbed salt in the wounds of the 30 or so travelling Fleet fans a minute from time as Anton Robinson made it four.
TEAM: Mott, Bull, Ricketts (Opinel 69), Smith, MacDonald, Bostwick, Coleman, McPhee, Purcell (Moore 81), Eribenne, Nade (Akinde 80). Subs not used: Cronin, Long.
Attendance: 508
Report by Allan Main
