Terras Defeat Hands Initiative To Rivals Eastleigh
Weymouth Reserves boss Dave Kiteley is refusing to concede the Jewson Wessex Combination League title despite this disappointing defeat at Gosport Borough.
The result sees the Terras remain top of the table, but it’s Eastleigh who now have the initiative in the race for the championship trophy.
The Hampshire side are three points behind their rivals with a game in hand and a far superior goal difference.
All the Terras can do now is win their last game of the campaign at Portsmouth RN on Saturday and hope that Eastleigh drop points against either Moneyfields or Bashley.
Kiteley said: “Eastleigh are now in pole position, but it’s not over by a long shot. They wouldn’t really have expected us to lose at Gosport and so there’s no reason why they can’t slip up against Moneyfields or Bashley.
“It’s very disappointing because we’ve been top for so long and I really felt sorry for some of my younger players when the game ended. But we must go to Portsmouth and do a professional job and if we lose the title, then we can be satisfied we’ve done our best and that we were only beaten on goal difference.”
The Terras enjoyed the best of the possession at Privett Park but they just couldn’t find their touch in front of goal.
Marc Whiteman wasted a few gilt-edged opportunities, as did strike partner Stuart Frear.
Gosport managed just two shots on goal all afternoon, but that’s all they needed to secure the points.
The first, which came on 25 minutes, proved decisive, while the second midway through the second half was well saved by Paul Gadsby.
Weymouth continued to batter their opponents knowing a draw would have been good enough. However, they could make no headway on a bone-hard surface that made passing football almost impossible.
Kiteley added: “I’ll take nothing away from Gosport because they were a credit to their club. They could have easily gone through the motions but they ran their hearts out for 90 minutes because they’re determined to finish third.
“The pitch proved a bit of a leveller and certainly didn’t help and there was a definite tension and nervous manner about us in front of the target.”
“But I can’t fault my players for their efforts. People like Marc Whiteman have won us plenty of games this season and this was just one of those days when we were never going to score.”
Weymouth Reserves:
Paul Gadsby, Mark Kenway, Scott Dennis, Nathan Walker, Paul Lambert (Hill 55), Gerry De La Planque (Ravenscroft 70), Carl Mutch, Michael Sajic, John Lamb, Marc Whiteman, Stuart Frear (Bichard 76)
* Eastleigh Reserves travel to Moneyfields tomorrow night (Tuesday) before entertaining Bashley at Ten Acres on Saturday.
