Weymouth bounced back from their weekend dissapointment in style with their best performance of the season in a comfortable 3-0 victory away to Cirencester Town on Tuesday night. The Terras had suffered late heartache in the West Middlands at Redditch on Saturday, where despite leading 1-0 and being in control for most of the game – a rare mistake from Chris McPhee handed the hosts an 88th minute penalty, and helped them secure an unlikely point.
I suppose you sort of expect that to happen when you batter a team but can’t find that killer second goal. The journey home felt a lot longer than the journey up there!
Two first half strikes from Adam Kelly had Weymouth in control at Cirencester, and despite coming under a bit of pressure early in the second half, the Centurions never really threatened a comeback, and Stewart Yetton added some gloss to the scoreline in added time with a third. Make no mistake about it, this was a quite fantastic result for the Terras. Cirencester had gone into this game having netted a total of nine goals in their last two outings, they had an unbeaten home record, and were the league’s form side. But Weymouth put them to the sword, and showed their Ridgeway rivals how it’s done – the Magpies having suffered a 6-1 humuliation at the same ground a week ago.
Dorchester did bounce back with a good performance on Saturday, and they were unlucky not to take anything from their home game against Dunstable. Dunstable held a 2-0 half time lead, but Dorchester fought well in the second half, etting it back to 2-1 and hitting the woodwork twice.
That performance against one of the league’s top sides should have given them plenty of encouragement ahead of a home clash with lowly Bideford on Tuesday. Should have.
Instead, Dorchester didn’t show up until the 89th minute. Bideford raced into a 3-0 half time lead at the Avenue, and in truth if they had any competent strkers it would have been 5 or 6-0. It was quite alarming the ease with which the boys from North Devon tore through the Magpies like a hot knife through butter.
The second half was a bit of a non event in truth but just when everyone was beggining to make their way to the exits, it got a little bit interesting. Substitute Matt Oldring managed to bundle the ball over the line from a corner to make it 1-3. No clean sheet for Bideford, but the points were still safe, right?
Well straight from the restart Dorch won the ball back, and in the blink of an eye it was 2-3, and game on. Nick Crittenden – by far Dorchester’s best player on the night, collected a low cross, controlled it, and slotted it into the bottom corner through a crowded box.
Bideford were rattled, and the fans who had stayed till the end were now right behind their team. And sure enough, in the 94th minute of the match – Dorchester completed the most miraculous of comebacks.
Another ball into the visitors box was only cleared to the edge of the box, where Alex Godfrey was lurking. He controlled the ball before firing a powerfull shot into the bottom corner – sparking scenes of absolute delerium among the avenue faitfull. Just reward for those fans who stayed till the end. THAT is why you never leave a game early, you just never know what might happen.
The funny thing was a Dorchester fan who I watched the game with had jokingly said just before the first goal was scored: “I’d probably take a draw now!”. It was said with tongue in cheek, yet just 6 minutes later, it had come true. Football – it is quite ridiculous sometimes.
Magpies boss Graham Kemp however was quick to admit that the performance and indeed the result wasn’t good enough. Dorchester were not in the game at all until the final minutes, and the ease with which the relegation strugglers tore through the Magpies side is a real cause for concern. But maybe this miraculous comeback could be the thing to spark their season into life.
They’ll certainly need to be at it from the off on Saturday, when they host Hendon in the third qualifying round of the FA Cup.
Weymouth are also in FA Cup action, they make the long trip to Essex to face Billericay.
Both Hendon and Billericay ply their trade in the Isthmian Premier Division, which is the same level as the southern premier league, although many people would tell you that there is a big difference in terms of quality. Weymouth and Dorchester will be expected to get through, but it won’t be easy for either.
£7,500 in prize money awaits the winner of each tie – a huge pay day for clubs at this level.
Poole Town are out of the FA Cup already, but they face by far and away their toughest test of the season so far on Saturday, when they travel to Cambridgeshire to face St Neots Town. St Neots began the season as most people’s favourites to win the title, but they suffered a stuttering start. However, following a managerial shake up last week they are just starting to build a bit of momentum. The Saints sit second in the table, 6 points behind unbeaten Poole having played a game more. A win for Poole could be massive, even at this early stage.
The Dolphins will go there full of confidence after they picked up their best result of the season on Tuesday night, when three goals in the first quarter of an hour were enough to see off Truro City 3-0 at Tatnam. This following a scrappy and hard fought 2-0 win over basement boys Histon at the weekend.
It’s already turning into an exciting season for Poole and Weymouth. Dorchester have struggled so far, but it’s a marathon not a sprint – and that can be said for Weymouth and Poole too. It’s important they keep the momentum going though.
Good luck to Dorset’s sides this Saturday in three huge games!
James Spring