Jake McCarthy insists that Weymouth can no longer be considered underdogs after their impressive first half of the season in the Vanarama National League South.
Weymouth have been occupying the playoffs places for the majority of the season and a win at 11th place Concord Rangers on Saturday could see them rise as high as fourth in the table.
McCarthy says that since the start of the season the Terras have believed that finishing around the playoffs would be a realistic ambition for their side.
Speaking to theterras.com McCarthy said, “Playoffs have been the goal since the start of the season, coming into the league people would have seen us as the underdogs, but now just over halfway through the season, we’re definitely not the underdogs anymore.
“We’re in the playoffs and we’re here to stay and hopefully come the end of the season we’ll be up there and around it.”
Weymouth travel to Canvey Island based side Concord Rangers on Saturday (3 pm kick-off), a side who were on a run of four consecutive victories before losing at home to Hampton & Richmond Borough in their last fixture.
“Every opposition has different strengths and different weaknesses and we’ve just got to approach it one game at a time.” Continued McCarthy.
“We’ve assessed their (Concord Rangers’) strengths and weaknesses and how we will exploit their weaknesses and how we’ll defend against their strengths. Hopefully, it’ll be another three points in the right direction.
“With the long-trips, everybody only gets closer because you spend two or three hours sat next to each other and doing whatever you want to do.
“Different people prepare differently, some people watch films, the majority of us will sit and talk about various things, but it’s definitely good team-bonding.”
The Weymouth midfielder has been a surprise-package for the Terras’ golden boot this season, finding the back of the nine times, as well as assisting five goals.
Last weekend McCarthy added to his goal tally with a spectacular left-footed long-ranged effort against Dulwich Hamlet at the Bob Lucas Stadium.
“Recently I’ve been scoring long-range strikes! As a midfielder when the ball falls to you at the edge of the box after it’s been cleared you normally get a chance, I’m feeling grateful that they’ve gone into the top corner the last couple of times.
“The goal last week (against Dulwich Hamlet) was probably my best goal this season and probably the best since I’ve been at Weymouth.
“For it to be on my weak foot and go into the corner like that, I knew as soon as I hit it the keeper was going to have to do something special to save it, and luckily he didn’t!”
