Full time: Chelmsford City 1-0 Weymouth
Finley Barbrook’s second half strike helped Chelmsford City see off an in-form Weymouth side and climb back into 3rd place in the National League South.
Barbrook’s 47th minute effort was a goal worthy of winning any football match, as the midfielder left Weymouth goalkeeper Gerard Benfield with no chance of saving his strike by producing a powerful first-time shot which found the top corner of the goal.
Until Ipswich loanee Barbrook’s decisive goal, the Terras had been able to frustrate Robbie Simpson’s side by resolutely defending their penalty area.
Bobby Wilkinson’s men also kept the City backline on their toes with the best chance of the opening 45 minutes arguably falling to the visitors. Malachi Linton beat the offside and got behind Chelmsford’s defence, forcing Henry Gray to come off his line and make a smart stop to prevent the forward from opening the scoring.
Smart linkup play between Jermaine Francis and Ben Brookes carved the visitors open in the build-up to Barbrook’s goal, when a low cross from Brookes was struck towards goal by Charlie Ruff, but blocked by a Weymouth defender. Cameron James was on hand to have an effort after Ruff’s blocked shot, but James’ effort also rebounded away.
Thankfully, Barbrook was on hand to come up with a clinical finish, scoring his first goal since a 2-0 home win over Torquay in December.
Despite taking the lead in the 47th minute, City were the dominant side for most of a rainy second half, but were unable to double their lead and put the result beyond doubt.
At the other end, Gray had to remain alert though, and the Ipswich loanee produced an astute piece of goalkeeping to prevent Dan Roberts from getting a shot away late on in the match. Roberts ran behind the City defence and beat the offside trap similarly to how Malachi Linton had done earlier in the game, but Gray was on hand to smother the ball away from Roberts’ feet, allowing him to earn a 5th clean sheet from his 9th league start for the club.
Three points against the Terras ended a winless run of two league games for Chelmsford City, and has allowed Simpson’s men to reclaim 3rd spot in the league table ahead of next weekend’s away game against Eastbourne Borough.
Chelmsford City XI: Gray (GK); James, Jenkins, Winfield ©, Brookes; Ochieng, Barbrook; Francis (Carruthers 76’), Ruff (Wordsworth 89’), Castiglione (Alfa 76’); Alexander.
Unused substitutes: Jones, Hockey.
Yellow cards: Alexander
Weymouth XI: Benfield (GK), Jones, Hamblin, Thompson, Durojaiye, Bearwish ©, Goodship, Linton, Parsons (O’Connell 59’), Touray (Roberts 20’), Rowan.
Unused substitutes: Matthews (GK), Bakrin, Bolton.
Yellow cards: Goodship, Parsons, Rowan, Durojaiye
Report by Jake Dixon
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