The Dorset Derby between Poole Town and Dorchester on Tuesday night ultimately failed to live up to expectations – ending in a goalless draw with chances coming at a premium.
Dorchester made a bright start and Jonah Ayunga had the games first real chance – heading weakly at Dolphins keeper Nick Hutchings from Charlie Davis’s pinpoint cross after a quarter of an hour.
Gradually the hosts grew into the game, and after half an hour Luke Roberts tested Shane Murphy with a powerful low drive which forced a good save from the Magpies’ stopper.
Ten minutes before the break, Roberts was inches away from giving the Dolphins the lead when he tried to curl one into the top corner from range, only to see his shot bounce back off the crossbar and away to safety.
Charlie Davis then fired a free kick just wide, as the two sides went in level at half time.
Following the restart, a driving run from Richard Gillespie ended up with a rather weak effort from Roberts, whilst at the other end Hutchings blocked a close range effort from Ben Watson.
Jonah Ayunga tried a powerful drive from range and saw his effort deflect off a defender before being palmed away by Nick Hutchings.
Luke Roberts was looking like the hosts most likely scorer, and he was left cursing his lick when a vicious strike from close range was well saved by Shane Murphy.
And late in the day the striker’s evening was summed up when his cross-cum-shot was palmed onto the post by Murphy in what proved to be the last action of a tight and rather uninspiring clash at Tatnam.
No doubt the Magpies will be happy to come away from it with a draw though, and it means the two sides remain in the play-offs, level on points and goal difference.
They’ve not lost any ground on the leaders Chippenham Town either, after they shook off an early setback to draw 1-1 at the Bob Lucas Stadium.
Weymouth made quick start; Mark Molesley cut inside and hit a low drive straight at the goalkeeper on 7 minutes, but the Terras drew first blood on the quarter hour mark when Dean Evans’ pinpoint cross was headed home by Ben Thomson for his first goal in Weymouth colours.
It could have been 2-0 shortly afterwards when Yetton found Molesley who turned his man with ease, only to fire narrowly over the bar from inside the area.
Molesley was causing the Bluebirds all sorts of problems, and shorty after he flicked a cross on to Chris Shephard who curled an effort just wide of the far post.
With five minutes to go to half time the visitors finally began to show some promise going forwards when Oli Taylor set off on a mazy run and danced his way past a couple of defenders, before eventually being crowded out and seeing his shot blocked.
James Guthrie then found himself clean through on goal after the Weymouth back line seemed to stop waiting for an offside flag that never came, but Matthews did superbly well to charge off his line and dive in bravely at the strikers feet to win the ball.
However, Weymouth’s resistance was finally broken right on the stroke of half time.
Matthews made another fantastic save from a point blanc header, but Oli Taylor charged in and managed to squeeze the ball between Matthews and a covering defender to take the sides into the break level pegging.
That goal seemed to have knocked the stuffing out of Weymouth, as they made a slow start to the second half. Mark Cooper blocked a powerful effort from Ballinger, before Matthews palmed Ashton Holgate’s header away at full stretch, as the league leaders began to show why they are where they are – playing some neat football that had the hosts chasing shadows at times.
Weymouth gradually clawed their way back into it though, and they had their best chance of the half on the counter when Mark Cooper’s cross was headed across goal by Dean Evans, but drifted inches wide of the far post.
Seven minutes from time the league leaders thought they’d nicked it when Greg Tindle powered home a header from a corner, only to see his effort ruled out for a push.
Frustrations then began to boil over when Conor McCormack tangled with Jason Matthews on the edge of the box, and the bluebirds striker was sent off for kicking out, whilst Matthews saw Yellow for his reaction.
Weymouth huffed and puffed for the final five minutes but couldn’t force a winner, and in truth the 1-1 draw was probably a fair result.
Two points from back-to-back games against the top two is certainly not to be sniffed it, and if the Terras can pick up all three points on Saturday it will go down as a good week for them.
But it won’t be easy, as they welcome 7th placed Hungerford Town to the Bob Lucas Stadium. The Crusaders are unbeaten on their travels this season, and like the Terras they have promotion aspirations. It should be an entertaining game between two sides who like to play their football on the deck.
Dorchester Town have the weekend off, whilst Poole Town travel to Hayes & Yeading in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup.
Hayes are where the Dolphins want to be – in the conference south, so this will provide a good yardstick for Poole to see where they are. They will fancy their chances, with the hosts having made a slow start to their season, picking up just two league wins so far and only sitting two points above the relegation zone.
James Spring
