Weymouth were brought crashing back down to earth following their opening day success as they suffered a 4-1 drubbing at home to fellow promotion favourites Chippenham Town on Tuesday night.
The bluebirds had scored within the first minute of their opening game, and it took them just six minutes to open the scoring on Tuesday night. Matt Smith latched onto a superb through ball which split the Terras defence, and the striker ran through one on one with Matthews before slotting coolly into the bottom corner to give the visitors the lead.
The early goal seemed to stun the Terras, who struggled to keep the ball for any sustained period, and the visitors looked a threat every time they got forwards. And 23 minutes in they doubled their lead.
Jake Wannell fouled Andy Sandell on the right wing, and James Guthrie sent a delicious ball into the area which Sandell got on the end of, and he powered home a header to double the visitors lead, to the delight of the travelling fans.
Weymouth continued to struggle to keep possession, and they never really forced visiting goalkeeper Kent Kauppinen into any real action in the first half. Chris Shephard dragged an effort wide of the mark in what was Weymouth’s only real effort of the half. And just passed the half hour mark, things got even worse.
Yet again Weymouth lost possession cheaply in midfield and the visitors broke. David Pratt was sent clean through, and was tripped by Calvin Brooks inside the box, leaving the referee with little choice but to point to the spot.
Sandell stepped up and calmly slotted the penalty home to give the Bluebirds a 3-0 lead, with still fifteen minutes of the first half to play.
The Terras could count themselves lucky not to go in 4-0 down at the break when another devilish delivery from Guthrie was met by the head of Matt Smith, but his header just grazed the outside of the post.
A chorus of boos rang out from the home fans at half time, and the lack of any half time substitutions did little to lighten the mood.
But the Terras did at least manage to muster a couple of attempts at the beginning of the second half. Full back Mark Cooper charged forward and saw his effort deflect off a defender before flying narrowly over the bar, before Dean Evans fired wide from inside the area.
But any lingering hopes of a second half fightback were extinguished on 54 minutes, when Matt Smith received the ball in midfield. The Terras defence backed off, and Smith had all the time in the world to pick his spot and unleash a rocket of a strike from 25 yards. Matthews got a hand to it but it was too powerful, and the ball nestled in the top right corner of the net, to put the visitors in dreamland.
Weymouth made a series of changes with Billy Lowes, Ben Thomson and Sam Jordan all coming on to replace Jordan Copp, Conor Jevon and Stewart Yetton respectively. The Terras did improve in the latter stages, but the game was well and truly up.
Chris Shephard did at least get the Terras on the scoresheet on 81 minutes – drilling a shot hard and low into the bottom corner from the edge of the area, but it was no more than a consolation. Weymouth had been out fought, out played, and well beaten in every department.
Credit where it’s due, Chippenham look a very strong side and will most certainly be there or thereabouts, but the first half performance in particular was a real horror show from a Terras perspective, and even at this early stage certain players need to take a hard look at themselves after their performances.
They’ll certainly need to be a million times better on Saturday when last season’s league runners up Redditch United visit the Bob Lucas Stadium. The Reds have made a promising start, winning their opening two games and scoring seven goals in the process, so it will no doubt be another difficult afternoon for the Terras, and the home fans will expect, and demand a big response to Tuesday night’s debacle.
The same can be said of their ridgeway rivals Dorchester Town, who also suffered a heavy defeat as they slumped to a 4-0 thumping at newly promoted Cinderford Town.
The depleted Magpies went into the clash without player-manager Mark Jermyn, who missed the match to be at the birth of his second child, whilst Nathan Walker, Chris Dillon and Ben Wood also missed out.
Cinderford hit the front after a quarter of an hour – Zack Kotwica firing home from close range for the hosts.
Despite the early setback, the Magpies held their own for much of the first half but failed to create any real clear cut chances. They continued to huff and puff in the second half but never really threatened to blow the house down. Mario Mateus fired over the bar from close range in what proved to be Dorchester’s best chance of the game, and they were made to pay for that lack of cutting edge in the final 23 minutes, as the hosts ran riot.
On 67 minutes Shane Murphy made a good save from Jacob Murphy, but Getyhn Hill was on hand to smash the rebound home to double the home sides lead.
Three minutes later, Hill took advantage of a defensive mix up to race through and roll the ball home for his second.
Cinderford had thrown away a 3-0 lead at Hitchin in the final fifteen minutes of their opening game, but any lingering nerves of an unlikely repeat were put to bed as Karnell Chambers added a fourth in injury time to send the Magpies to the foot of the table just two games in.
The Magpies will be desperate to pick up their first points of the season on Saturday when they travel to Chesham United. The Generals bounced back from their opening day defeat with a 2-0 win over newly promoted St Ives Town on Tuesday night, so the Magpies will need to be on their guard from the off.
In stark contrast, Poole Town picked up their first points in the Conference South thanks to a win at home to Maidenhead United.
A 14th minute strike from Richard Gillespie proved decisive in a tight and hard fought encounter at Tatnam.
The Dolphins will no doubt be relieved to get their first points on the board, and they’ll be hoping to make home advantage count again on Saturday when Bishops Stortford come to town. But they’ll also be looking to build on an impressive 2-1 win at Welling United on Tuesday night.
Elsewhere, Wimborne Town made it two wins out of two for the new season, with a hard fought 1-0 win at Paulton Rovers thanks to a Toby Holmes goal on the hour mark. The Magpies will be looking to make it three wins out of three on Saturday when they travel to Evesham United. But they’ll be coming up against an Evesham side desperate to get their first victory of the season after a loss and a draw from their opening two games.
Wessex Premier league football returned to Grove Corner on Tuesday night, and the crowd were treated to a six goal thriller, but in the end Portland United were left bitterly frustrated after Bournemouth Poppies snatched a share of the spoils in injury time.
Ash Smith gave the Blues the lead on 15 minutes, before the visitors hit back on 40 minutes. But parity didn’t last long as Alex Godfrey restored the lead for Portland three minutes later.
The Poppies hit back again early in the second half, before Darren Watts gave United the lead for the third time on the night with his first goal for the club just past the hour mark.
Portland continued to pepper the Bournemouth goal, but a combination of some excellent saves from the visiting goalkeeper, and some last ditch defending kept the visitors in with a chance. And deep into stoppage time the Blues were made to pay for failing to kill the game off, as the poppies scrambled home an equaliser from a corner with virtually the last kick of the game.
Frustration for Portland, but the signs are good for them after their first two games. They are certainly having no problems finding the net, and if they can tighten up at the back they’ll surely more than hold their own.
They’ll be hopeful of picking up their first home win of the season Saturday when Alresford Town visit Grove Corner, having lost their opening two games.
And finally, Bridport got their Western league season underway on Tuesday night, but they were unable to make a positive start as they went down to a frustrating 1-0 loss at home to Buckland Athletic. Jared Lewington headed home the only goal of the game from a corner early on in the second half to seal three points for the visitors. The Bees will look to pick up their first points on Saturday when they travel to Clevedon Town.
Weymouth Reserves will look for their first points in Wessex Division One on Saturday as they travel to Alton.
But of course, the main thing this weekend is the return of premier league football, and it’s set to be arguably the most exciting season in years with new faces galore. That’s right – the Dorset Premier league kicks off this weekend, with title favourites – Weymouth based Balti Sports kicking off at home to Westlands Sports, and last season’s League Cup and Senior Trophy winners Merley Cobham Sports hosting Blandford United. Newly promoted Dochester Sports and Gilingham Town Reserves host Parley Sports and Hamworthy Recreation respectively.
There’s plenty of football to get your teeth into this weekend, so enjoy!
James Spring
