Weymouth picked up a crucial three points on the road at Hitchin Town on Saturday, and in doing so closed the gap on the sides above them with other results going their way.
Around an hour before kick off at Top Field, news filtered through that league leaders Poole Town’s match had been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, so suddenly this was a big opportunity for Weymouth to close the gap.
In pouring rain at Top Field, the first twenty minutes were pretty lifeless, as both sides struggled to get to grips with the conditions. In conditions like this the first goal was going to be crucial, and once Weymouth got their passing game together, they took the lead with their first real chance of the game.
From a well worked throw in, the ball found it’s way to Stewart Yetton on the edge of the area, and his shot was parried away by Hitchin keeper Michael Johnson, but it was straight into the path of Aldershot loanee Tristian Plummer, who had time and space to pick his spot, and slot the ball into the far corner from an acute angle to give Weymouth a 21st minute lead.
The lead should have been doubled only minutes later. Tristian Plummer was causing havoc among the Caneries defence, and his pull back was met by Steve Colwell, but his shot from the edge of the box lacked the power to really trouble the keeper.
On the opposite flank, Chris Shephard was also tearing the host’s defence a new one. He went on a run, and very nearly scored – cutting inside his man before unleashing a rasping shot which just grazed the top of the crossbar.
A relieved looking Hitchin goalkeeper went to wipe his gloves with his towel.
“What’s the point in drying your gloves with a wet towel!?” – shouted one Weymouth fan (with a few expletives thrown in). The keeper laughed. Little did he know that ten minutes after half time we’d all be laughing at him, while he’d be wishing the ground would just swallow him up.
Chris Shephard sent in a fairly harmless looking cross. But the Caneries keeper flapped at it, letting it slip through his gloves and over the line before he could stop it. The linesman signalled for a goal, and the travelling Terras fans were left to decide whether to celebrate or laugh. Think that’s what they call a Weston Super…
The goal was officially credited to Chris Shephard. Sorry Sheps, but you can’t claim that one!
But you can claim the third goal.
Weymouth notched their second goal in seven minutes when Chris Shephard fired home the rebound after Yetton again had a shot that the keeper could only parry into Shephard’s path. It was noticeable that not a single member of the Hitchin team seemed to want to speak to the keeper for the rest of the game!
That goal effectively finished the game off, but Weymouth sensed the opportunity to boost their goal differnece – and sent on Jordan Copp, Adam Kelly and Tim Sills.
Sills, Kelly and Yetton all went close, but there were to be no further goals. Not that Weymouth would have minded – they celebrated another away day success.
I think that game told us a lot about the character of this squad.
It’s all well and good playing pretty football when it’s nice and sunny and the pitches are imaculate. They have proved now that they can go and win ugly too, and that’s a valuable trait for any side targeting promotion.
It was raining cats & dogs all game, the pitch wasn’t in great condiiton to begin with, and just completely deteriorated as the game wore on, and it was very windy. But the Terras got on with the job, and put in a very professional, confident, dominant display.
It must be said that Hitchin looked a shadow of the side who came to the Bob Lucas Stadium and earned a draw in August, but Weymouth have also improved a lot since then. The performance was as good as that at Dunstable in the last league game.
It was a successfull day for Weymouth, with all of their promotion rivals dropping points. St Neots Town suffered a 2-0 home reverse to Truro City, whilst Corby only managed a 1-1 draw at home to Chesham, and Poole of course didn’t play. The Terras sit 5th in the table but have between 2 and 5 games in hand on everyone else in the league.
The mood on the north side of the Rigeway however could not be more different, as Dorchester suffered a third defeat in a week, this time going down 1-0 to Biggleswade Town in the league.
Despite passing an early morning pitch inspection, the rain had already wrecked the pitch before kick off, meaning it was never going to be a great spectacle.
Biggleswade had the first real effort on goal when Mark Coulson struck the post. That sparked Dorchester into life, as they broke up the other end and saw Ben Joyce’s shot saved by Wader’s keeper Ian Brown.
Minutes later Brown had to be alert again to tip Jack Odam’s header over the bar, before Biggleswade almost hit Dorchester on the counter attack, only for Kevin Blossom’s cross to bounce off the crossbar and away to safety.
The game had come to life, and both sides were beggining to look dangerous, but on 34 minutes the only goal of the game arrived, when Sam Reed scored from close range after Alan Walker-Harris saved Craig Daniel’s initial effort.
As is so often the case at the minute, that proved to be a real sucker punch.
Despite having nearly an hour to get back into the game, the Magpies rarely threatened a fightback. Many supporters called the performance “flat”, and once again the character and desire of some players has been called into question.
It’s been a bitterly dissapointing week for Graham Kemp’s men, who went down at Histon by the same scoreline on Tuesday night.
The defeat leaves them perilously close to the bottom four, in fact they’re only a place above it by two goals. And that’s only because Burnham were deducted three points for fielding an ineligable player. Otherwise the Magpies would find themselves 21st.
Another cause for concern was the very small crowd of just 265. A lot of lifelong fans are losing patience and interest, and that is a major concern for Dorchester. They’ve always had a core following of around 400 through the good times and the bad, but the crowds are falling drastically along with the team.
It dosen’t get any easier for them. On Tuesday night they make the long trip to Edgar Street to face crisis club Hereford United. Despite their mounting off field problens, the Bulls are beginning to find some form on the field – winning their last three games in all competitions and scoring 11 goals in the process. They’ll be licking their lips at the prospect of facing the Magpies leaky defence. However the Magpies did beat them 3-0 at the Avenue back in September.
Weymouth will again have a chance to rest key players as they welcome Sholing to the Bob Lucas Stadium in the second round of the Red Insure Cup.
The Boatmen currently sit 18th in the south & west league, and Weymouth will be expected to progress even with a much changed side. Chances are we’ll field a similar side to that which dispatced of Cranborne 7-1 in the county cup last Tuesday. Sholing are no mugs however, and last season’s Wessex League and FA Vase winners will fancy their chances.
Poole Town also face south & west division opposition in the Red Insure Cup, as they make the short journey to the Testwood Stadium to face AFC Totton.
All three matches are at the mercy of the weather however. Severe rain and thunderstorms are expected in the south west from Monday night right the way through to the early hours of Wednesday morning, so the groundsmen will be kept busy.
Fingers crossed, especially here in Weymouth, as the last thing the Terras need right now is yet another home game to re-arrange.
James Spring
