WEYMOUTH 1 (Shephard pen 59) PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 1 (Slew 52)

A CONVERTED spot-kick from Chris Shephard ensured Weymouth held Plymouth Argyle to a 1-1 draw at the Bob Lucas Stadium, in a pre-season friendly this afternoon.

The Terras’ playmaker slotted home after Mark Cooper was bundled over in the box to earn a share of the spoils for Jason Matthews’ men against their Football League counterparts.


The hosts started brightly against a Plymouth side who had racked a heap of goals in their pre-season schedule so far.

After good work down the left on four minutes from former Argyle professional Jordan Copp, the ball eventually fell to Weymouth’s Dan Smith, who blazed over the top.

At the other end, after shaking off a knock, Plymouth’s Louis Rooney took advantage of Weymouth full-back Ashley Wells being outnumbered two-on-one, but after the ball was played to him, he dragged his shot wide of the near post.

Jake Jervis then saw a free-kick effort cannon off the Weymouth wall as the visitors began to control proceedings. Jervis then fluffed his lines with an unmarked header after drifting in from the right flank and meeting Jordan Slew’s well-placed delivery.

Jervis was in the thick of it as he then burst down forward from a wide position and found Connor Smith with his cross on the counter, but the Argyle man could only scuff wide of Matthews’ goal.

After Dan Smith was replaced by Charlie Davis for the hosts at the break, Matthews was tested in keeping out two strikes form Slew in the opening 90 seconds of the restart.

But Slew eventually got his goal as a mix up in the Weymouth defence meant the Weymouth player-boss lost out to Rooney on the edge of his area and he teed up Slew to fire into the bottom corner on 52 minutes.

But the Terras responded and they were awarded a penalty just short of the hour. Cooper was brought down and up stepped Shephard to confidently slot home the leveller.

The Pilgrims then made a whole host of changes, including the introduction of stars Luke McCormick, Graham Carey and David Goodwillie.

But 10 minutes from time, an under-hit back pass from the away side allowed Ben Thomson in on goal.

After seeing his effort denied by keeper Luke McCormick when one-on-one, he teed up fellow Terras’ striker Sam Jordan, whose strike was saved as the contest finished as a draw.

Terras: Matthews (Thomas 61), Wells, Cooper (Marques 80), Evans (Molesley 61), Wannell, Brooks, D Smith (Davis 46), Lowes (Jordan 70), Yetton (Thomson 61), Copp (Jevon 61), Shephard.

  • Portland United beat Pagham United 4-3 in their latest pre-season friendly this afternoon.