Staines Town added to Weymouth’s well-publicised problems with a 2-1 win on their first visit to The Wessex Stadium.

Weymouth chairman George Rolls had to take a seat in the dug-out as boss Jerry Gill was ill and assistant Andy Harris was playing.

But the hosts started brightly, Jake Reid splaying in Joshua Llewellyn, who was denied by a vital tackle from Yado Mambo, and Louis Wells making an important save from Lwelleyn’s shot.

Stephen Reed then fired just wide, but Staines then started to look menacing.

Howard Newton started and finished a good move that ended with his shot flying just over Tim Sandercombe’s crossbar.

Then most of the visiting team combined in an intricate move, that ended with a shot from the tireless André Scarlett being blocked on the six-yard line.

And on 32 minutes, a Scott Taylor throw to Gareth Risbridger almost set him through on goal, but for a last ditch tackle by Cameron Mawer which led to a corner.

This was taken by Taylor, and found its way to Howard Newton, whose powerful drive from the edge of the box took a wicked deflection to wrong-foot Sandercombe and fly in for the opening goal.

Weymouth employed a tight offside trap, which denied Staines several gilt chances, notably one by Scarlett soon after the opener.

But in the 41st minute, Weymouth were awarded a cheap free-kick on the right, which was sent into the box by Reed, and powerfully forced home from close range by Matthew Groves to make it 1-1.

If Steve Cordery scrunched up his prepared team-talk when that went in, he could afford to smooth it out again as Staines regained the lead in the final minute of the half. Leroy Griffiths sent over a cross from the right that was laid back to Newton, and – having put one over the bar moments before – this time he kept his shot lower.

Once again, it took a deflection, which helped it to loop over Sandercombe’s head and just under the bar.

Taylor may have made the game safe four minutes after the restart, but Sanderscombe smothered his one-on-one chance.

A couple of minutes later, Wells saved well with his feet from Terras skipper Scott Brice.

In a very open spell, Weymouth hit both side-nettings in quick succession through Groves and Llewellyn, while McGuinesss sent one just wide.

Mambo picked up a 69th minute yellow card for dissent after conceding a foul, but Staines soon had two more great chances to sew the game up.

Firstly Taylor picked out Newton, whose shot seemed destined to bring him his hat-trick, but it faded wide at the last moment.

Then Newton turned provider, crossing to Griffiths who controlled deftly on his chest but saw his close range shot kept out by Sandercombe’s reflex save.

Weymouth threw on an extra attacker, and soon Harris set up Llewellyn for a shot that sailed over. Staines then added another defender for the last few minutes, and held firm, with Weymouth’s best shot, a low drive by Reid, comfortably saved by Wells. Staines climbed back up to third as a result.

Staines: Wells, S Jackson, Sterling, Gordon ©, Mambo, Scarlett, Newton, Risbridger, Taylor (Kamara 85), D Thomas, Griffiths; unused [3]: Ahmad, Ifura, Courtnage (g).

Weymouth: Sandercombe, McGuiness, Dixon (Foster 77), Mawer, Brice ©, Harris, Groves, Davies, Reid, Llewellyn, Reed; unused Vincent, Frampton, Tribe, Richardson.

Ref: Adam Bromley (Plympton); ARs: Mike Hall (Wellington), Qaisar Iskander (Exeter).

Att 365.