August Bank Holiday Monday afternoons don’t get much better than this – if you’re a Wimborne supporter that is! After a rather underwhelming first-half when there was more perspiration than inspiration in the searing heat, the game burst into life as Josh McQuoid’s touchline free-kick flew into the net, followed one and four minutes later by a Will Fletcher brace.

After Saturday’s gruelling encounter, Manager Tim Sills rotated his squad, giving starts to Josh McQuoid, Cam Munn, and Lewis Williams. Will Fletcher took his place on the bench.

In a cagey opening, we had to wait ten minutes before either goal was threatened: Max Bustamante fired across the face of Weymouth’s goal, and Matty Burrows, in the fluorescent yellow of the visitors, had a shot blocked as he cut in from the right. The Terras’ only other goal attempt of the half came on the half-hour mark when a typical Burrows’ dribble was stopped, and another former Magpie, Oakley Hanger curled the loose ball inches wide of the far post.

For Wimborne, Joe Smith headed Cam Plain’s clearance for Cam Munn to shoot wide; Munn headed Josh Carmichael’s corner wide; Lewis Williams was twice denied by brave blocks; Bustamante raced in from the right only for his shot to be blocked, Munn firing the rebound wide; Smith lofted the ball over the bar from Bustamante’s cross; and Smith’s header from another Bustamante cross from the by-line, on 45+4 minutes, was keeper Clark’s only save of the half.

The second-half was less frenetic and thankfully more fluent. Josh McQuoid fired a loose clearance goalwards which was blocked; Hanger sent a trade-mark free-kick soaring into the danger area; Carmichael played Lewis Williams through the inside-right channel, the flying winger made himself space but shot wide; Ben Scorey’s sliding tackle stopped a Burrows’ dribble; Smith played Williams through but keeper Clark saved well; Robinson’s volley from a corner forced a brilliant tip-over from Plain; McQuoid cleverly lifted the ball over defenders for Bustamante to smash a volley over the bar; and Hanger’s snap-shot was saved by the well-positioned Wimborne shot-stopper.

Then, just after the mid-point of the half, we had a crazy five minutes. First, on 69 minutes, McQuoid’s free-kick from the left touch-line deceived keeper Clark and flew into the far top corner. In the next minute Will Fletcher chased a long ball down the inside-left channel, dispossessed the defender, and stroked the ball past the keeper into the net. Then, in the minute after that, Fletcher was played through, again down the inside-left channel, as he reached the ball first Gyebi, who was one of seven first-half bookings, hauled the big striker down. Referee Woolley pointed to the spot, and showed the defender his second yellow, and off he went for first dibs of the shower gel. After a delay, Fletcher converted the spot-kick, not everso emphatically but enough to hit the net. The Wimborne support behind the goal at the housing estate end was jumping! 73 minutes played, and effectively game over.

Weymouth’s McCarthy did get the ball in the net from another Hanger delivery, and Fletcher passed a through ball into the net but both efforts were ruled out for offside. Joe Ryan drew applause for the way he controlled Billy Walker’s lofted pass and beat his defender in one movement, raced forwards and shot wide. Owen Roundell-Prince was set-up by Drew Eccott-Young but his fierce drive flew past the post. And then, deep into time added-on, Walker sprinted across the pitch to turn a Weymouth corner into a throw-in – and for your reporter, that epitomised the attitude and character of this burgeoning young team.

A first clean-sheet of the season for Cam Plain and his brilliant back four; a deserved man-of-the-match award for Drew Eccott-Young; another inspirational performance from skipper Sam Jackson; a best performance of the season from Cam Munn; and more lung-bursting selfless performances from Joe Smith and Max Bustamante – oh, and that torpedo of a free-kick by the class act of Josh McQuoid, and a two-goal return by Will Fletcher.

Victories at the Wyatt Homes Stadium over fancied teams Weymouth and Havant & Waterlooville, and that draw at Farnham on Saturday, show that Tim’s team can hold their own against the best in this division. After the game, New Cuthbury was buzzing as youngsters in their replica kit sought autographs from their heroes. August Bank Holiday Monday afternoons don’t get much better than this – especially if you’re a Wimborne supporter!

Wimborne: Plain, Eccott-Young, Walker, Scorey (Borges 87), Jackson, McQuoid (Seuny 77), Carmichael (Roundell-Prince 66), Munn, Bustamante, Williams (Ryan 75), Smith (Fletcher 66)

Attendance: 1,489

Match stats: