City edge out Terras in Twerton Park thriller

City and Weymouth played out a thriller under the Twerton Park lights this evening, with the Romans coming out on top by two goals to one. It looked like it would be a comfortable evening for City when they struck twice in the opening eight minutes. On three minutes Cody Cooke did well to win possession tight on the left touchline before crossing for Alex Fletcher to slide the ball past Sandford. And five minutes later Cooke netted against his former club, curling a right foot shot into the net via the post. With the Terras sitting at the foot of the Vanarama National League South table the 1100+ crowd must have sensed another big home win for City. However, the Dorset side regrouped and were soon causing City problems at the back, Joe Wright saving well from Boutin’s low shot then Chris Lines blocking another effort on the line. Weymouth continued to look vulnerable at the back though, a Cooke header dropping narrowly wide before Sandford denied Dyer from close range. City had one further escape before half-time when O’Connell mis-hit a shot with the goal gaping in front of him. City began the second half brightly but on 52 minutes the visitors were awarded a penalty when Joe Raynes was harshly adjudged to have pushed Boutin. For the second time this season Wright saved the initial kick but was beaten by the follow up shot from Ash. Weymouth were now pushing for an equaliser and with 15 minutes to go it took a stunning save from Wright, turning Bearwish’s powerful header over the bar, to maintain City’s narrow advantage. Several other openings came and went at both ends of the pitch before a minute into stoppage time Fletcher was tripped in the box by Boutin to give City the chance to seal the win. Sandford had other ideas though, as he first denied Cooke from the penalty spot then three times saved follow up efforts from Fletcher twice and Smith, with Matsuzaka blocking a Chris Lines shot on the line in-between for good measure. The miss didn’t prove costly though as City saw out the remainder of added on time with no real scares to secure a hard-fought three points.