Both Poole Town & Weymouth were left dejected on the final day of the Southern Premier league season, with the Dolphins missing out on the championship and the Terras falling short of the play-offs.
The draw between the two on Tuesday night meant that Poole went into the final game of the season against second placed Corby Town knowing a draw would see them crowned champions. The onus was on the Steelmen to go and win the game.
A record crowd of 2203 crammed into Tatnam to witness this title showdown – including a hefty following of around 7-800 from Corby.
Both sides looked understandably nervous to begin with.
Tom Whelan had the games first chance for Poole – running onto Whisken’s header forwards, but under pressure from a defender he could only shoot straight at keeper Paul Walker.
Minutes later a long ball forwards found Joe Quigley, who worked himself some space before finding Burbridge on the edge of the box, but he could only shoot tamely into the arms of Walker.
Corby then had their first real effort when Cleveland Taylor tried his luck from range, but the shot flew a couple of yards over the bar.
Corby then had the best chance of the first half when another long ball forwards fell perfectly for Spencer Weir-Daley, but he just couldn’t sort his feet out in time, and in the end he could only poke it across the face of goal, much to the relief of the home crowd.
Whelan then did well to get to the byline and put an inviting ball into the box, but it was hacked clear by a covering defender.
Stephen Morley then tried his luck from range and saw his shot punched wide by Hutchings before being caught at the second attempt. However the ball was adjudged to have gone behind and the referee awarded Corby a corner, much to the dismay of the home crowd.
Thankfully it came to nothing, and the two sides went in level at the break.
It looked like a game that would be settled by one goal, and less than a minute into the second half a breakthrough arrived – and it was the visitors who got it.
Corby won the ball back in midfield, and hit Poole with a lightning breakaway – with Ben Milnes playing in Spencer Weir-Daley, who slid the ball beyond the despairingly reach of Hutchings into the bottom corner to give Corby a priceless lead, and spark scenes of delirium among the travelling masses.
The celebrations had barely died down when just three minutes later, Wilson Carvahlo’s tricky run was halted in the box when he was tripped by Carl Pettifer, and the referee awarded a penalty.
Greg Mills stepped up, and smashed the ball into the opposite corner to which Weir-Daley had scored to put Corby in dreamland, and kick off more wild celebrations among the away support.
Poole were shell shocked, and two very nearly became three when Carvahlo turned neatly on the edge of the box to shake off the attentions of two defenders, before finding Ben Milnes, who hit a powerful curling effort towards the top corner, only for Nick Hutchings to pull off a stunning finger tip save to just about keep his side in the game.
Carvahlo then hit a free kick straight into the arms of Hutchings, and he immediately launched the ball up the field to start a counter attack. And it paid off.
Bournemouth loanee Joe Quigley got to the byline first and pulled the ball back for substitute Luke Roberts, who smashed the ball home from the edge of the six yard box to halve the arrears with just under half an hour to play.
Suddenly Poole were piling on the pressure, and with a quarter of an hour remaining, they were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box after Mason Walsh was fouled.
Steve Devlin’s delivery wasn’t the best – but it was only cleared as far as Walsh, and his lobbed ball back into the area was met by Luke Roberts, who timed his run to perfection to beat the offside trap and get to the ball ahead of the goalkeeper, before delicately chipping it over him to spark wild scenes at Tatnam, and put Poole back in the driving seat.
Poole had fought back from the brink, but the joy was short lived, as just five minutes later, Corby hit them with a sucker punch.
A hopeful punt forwards from inside the Corby half caused havoc in the Poole defence, and Spencer Weir-Daley couldn’t quite believe his luck when the ball ricocheted into his path, leaving him with the simple task of stroking the ball into an empty net from a couple of yards – sparking scenes of absolute pandemonium among the hundreds of travelling fans, and putting them on the verge of the championship.
Poole had to throw caution to the wind now, but that left them open at the back – and they were very nearly punished when Carvahlo turned on the halfway line and surged half the length of the pitch. He took the ball around Hutchings, but he lost his balance right at the crucial moment, and could only shoot into the side netting.
That miss very nearly came back to haunt him deep into injury time when Poole were awarded a free kick on the byline.
Hutchings came up for it, and he got on the end of Steve Devin’s delivery, only for a covering defender to clear it off the line, before Burbridge’s shot cannoned off of another defender for one last corner.
Devlin’s delivery was headed clear, and before Poole could launch it into the box one last time, the full time whistle blew, and the Steelmen were crowned champions.
The Poole players sunk to their knees in despair, whilst their counterparts began the celebrations in earnest. The Corby bench charged onto the pitch, and they were joined by The Cookie Monster, Hulk Hogan, Superman and a sea of kilts – as the hoards of travelling fans invaded the pitch to embrace their heroes.
Congratulations to Corby, the table never lies over a 44 game season. They won both meetings with Poole and few could argue they don’t deserve this.
The club were on the brink of administration this time last year, and to achieve what they have with such a small squad is quite miraculous.
It’s a major opportunity blown for Poole. For weeks the title looked like theirs to lose, but they began to stutter at the worst possible time, and failed to take advantage of their games in hand.
They’ll have to pick themselves up quickly in time for Tuesday though, as they have another chance to seal promotion in the play-offs.
St Neots Town will be the visitors to Tatnam on Tuesday night after they sealed their play-off spot with a 1-1 draw at Frome on Saturday.
That result meant that despite occupying a top five spot for much of the season, Weymouth finished three points adrift of the play-offs, following a final day defeat at Biggleswade Town.
Stewart Yetton gave Weymouth hope when he put them 1-0 up from the penalty spot after half an hour, but the game turned right on the stroke of half time.
Yetton really should have doubled the lead when he was allowed clean through on goal following a mix up in the Biggleswade defence, but he scuffed his lines and could only shoot inches wide of the post.
Weymouth’s frustrations were compounded seconds later when Dean Evans misjudged the bounce of the ball, and allowed Tony Burnett in to equalise for the hosts.
Weymouth then gave away a penalty themselves on the hour mark, and Jay Davies completed the turnaround.
Chris Shephard hit a stunning equaliser ten minutes later – curling one into the top corner from 25 yards.
Weymouth threw the kitchen sink at the hosts for the final twenty minutes, but it just wouldn’t go in for them. And naturally they left themselves exposed at the back, and the Waders picked them off with two goals in the last ten minutes to run out 4-2 winners, and end Weymouth’s promotion dreams.
Weymouth’s season was perfectly encapsulated in these ninety minutes. At times they played some scintillating football and their opponents simply couldn’t live with them. But a combination of poor finishing, the woodwork, some last ditch defending, and a goalkeeper in inspired form meant they didn’t get the goals their play warranted, and their inability to defend at the other cost them this game, and ultimately cost them this season.
Fans were left bitterly dissapointed at the collapse in the second half of the season, but at the same time there was immense pride at the progress the club has made on and off the pitch this season. It’s still their highest finish for many years.
One fan summed it up perfectly, describing it as “our best season for a long time, but our most dissapointing”.
How they will wish it was them going to Tatnam in the play-offs on Tuesday night.
St Neots took four points off the Dolphins during the regular season, and have only suffered one defeat since Boxing Day.
It’s a tall order for Poole, especially so soon after the disappointment of the weekend. But they must remember that their season is not finished yet, and they have another chance at promotion here.
James Spring
