Sturminster Marshall went in to this encounter knowing that a victory was very much in need.

James Foster made his first start of the season with Ryan Hall partnering him at centre back and Matthew Gardiner going to left back.

Stur started the better with Richie Davies the first Stur player to test the Weymouth goalkeeper with a free kick from 20 yards that was saved low in the corner. The momentum was definitely with Stur as they continued to boss possession in the centre of midfield and were rewarded for their efforts on 20 minutes when a lofted free kick to the back post was headed across goal by Paul Glenister which allowed his forward partner, Rob Clark to head the ball in to the open net.

It was a deserved lead for Stur but the story of their season continued when against the run of play, Jack Fendley was adjudged to have clipped the heels of the Weymouth striker when through on goal and received a straight red card for being last man and preventing a scoring opportunity.

Stur had their backs to wall and had to defend a free kick from just outside the box knowing that they would have to hold on for another 60 minutes with only 10 men.

However, to Stur’s relief, the free kick went harmlessly over the bar.

As half time approached Stur were becoming scrappy in possession as Weymouth started to build a foothold in the match and to Stur’s disbelief, Weymouth equalised in first half stoppage time as some statuesque defending from a corner was punished by the Weymouth player who produced a bullet header that gave Stur goalkeeper, Mark Fuller absolutely no chance.

Stur’s headed in to half time in dejected mood but knew that chances were there to be taken.

Erkan Mete and David Johnston continued to try and carve some Stur openings from the centre of midfield but it seemed that Stur’s main threat was coming from set pieces with Ryan Hall ever present with his aerial threat.

On 65 minutes, Stur finally unlocked the Weymouth defence as an in swinging corner was met at the back post by Paul Glenister who stooped in to head the ball in to the corner.

This breathed an air of confidence in to the Stur players as they continued to press for the goal that would surely put the game to bed and they came ever so close on 75 minutes.

Another set piece nearly killed all Weymouth hopes of a late revival as Turkish delight, Erkan Mete drilled a low free kick that seemed to be heading in to the far bottom corner but the ball found the feet of Ryan Hall who somehow scooped the ball over the bar from 5 yards.

Despite all the missed chances fro Stur, Weymouth had nothing to give and the game faded out and Stur had a much needed 3 points in the bag.