Match Preview: Weymouth v Grimsby Town – Saturday 9th April 2022 – 15:00
The Terras are back in action this weekend and, finally, back at the Bob Lucas Stadium as they take on promotion hunting Grimsby Town in the Vanarama National League.
THE TERRAS
With a busy month in April upon David Oldfield’s side, momentum needs to start to build this weekend as the league heads for the run-in, to give Weymouth’s ever-loyal supporters a glimmer of hope. The players will know how crucial three points could be in terms of closing the gap, with Aldershot in poor form and King’s Lynn proving how a string of good results can make that survival bid more realistic. However, a strong effort is required with Weymouth currently sitting 22nd in the league and nine points adrift of safety. But this push begins this weekend, and whilst today will prove a challenge, there’s optimism in the camp that April can be a positive month for the Terras as the team begin their final push to stay in this division for next season.
LAST SIX
TORQUAY 3-0 TERRAS
WOKING 2-0 TERRAS
WEALDSTONE 3-2 TERRAS
ALTRINCHAM 5-0 TERRAS
TERRAS 0-2 FC HALIFAX TOWN
STOCKPORT 1-0 TERRAS
Weymouth currently sit 22nd in the table with 22 points from 35 games
THE MARINERS
Paul Hurst’s Grimsby side have their eyes set on finishing in a play-off spot and having the opportunity to return to League Two next season. They have recorded back-to-back victories in the league with a 2-1 win over Dagenham and Redbridge and a 4-1 win over fellow promotion hopefuls Chesterfield in their previous fixtures. With two defeats in their last six games, Grimsby will be hopeful of picking up three points this weekend to strengthen their play-off place, with Boreham Wood close behind and with games in hand. A factor to bear in mind for Grimsby is that despite their position in the league, this has mainly been aided by their strong home form. However, they sit 10th in the away form table with seven wins from eighteen away matches and eight defeats, meaning the Terras could potentially exploit this and grab some points.
Player To Watch: John McAtee
With 12 goals so far this season in the league for the Mariners, McAtee will be the main man to try and fire Grimsby to a third straight win this weekend against the Terras.
LAST SIX
CHESTERFIELD 1-4 GRIMSBY TOWN
GRIMSBY TOWN 2-1 DAG & RED
GRIMSBY TOWN 1-2 SOLIHULL MOORS
BOREHAM WOOD 0-0 GRIMSBY TOWN
YEOVIL TOWN 0-2 GRIMSBY TOWN
SOUTHEND UNITED 1-0 GRIMSBY TOWN
Grimsby Town currently sit 7th in the league with 62 points from 36 games
@TerraStatman’s Facts of the Match
“We have only played one game and lost against The Mariners in our entire history and that was our second league game of this season! On that day, a dogged performance for the Terras was not enough to take any points back down the Fosse Way, as we succumbed to the only goal of the game some 14 minutes from time from John McAtee.
We may have only played today’s visitors once before, but we have encountered a couple of other fellow Lincolnshire sides in the last quarter of a century in the form of Grantham Town and Boston United. Weirdly all 12 games against this pair were in the Southern league (despite the geographical distance) and our combined record against these foes is a symmetrical W4 D4 L4. Perhaps unsurprisingly over this period, no team from the county won at the Bob Lucas (W4 D2 to Weymouth) and similarly we never took three points away from Lincolnshire (D2 L4). It is probable our last win in the county was at Boston United in 1981. Distance and fatigue probably have a lot to do with this anomaly, but is this such a factor now with fitter modern-day footballers and overnight stays being more common?
A diversion purely to one of our own now as we (hopefully) celebrate Cameron Murray’s 100th appearance for the club. The “Scottish Messi” joined the club in January 2019 from one-time former rivals Dorchester Town and quickly established himself as a fan’s favourite despite his previous colours with two goals and an assist in his first four games. His full record before today is P99, W33 D24 L42 with 63 starts, 7 goals and 9 assists. At 5ft 6in he is probably the shortest player to turn out for the side in the last few years but what he lacks in height he makes up for in effort and guile and has been a bright spark for the team in this campaign.
A selected list of those players who have turned out for both teams are:
Jack Bell, Dick Corbett, Mick Gadsby, Edward Grant, Stan Hayhurst, Stuart Housley, Chris Leadbitter, Kevin Roberts, Ahkeem Rose, W.Horace Wallbanks, Len Weatherall, Neal Webb.
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