Match Preview: Weymouth v Farnborough – Tuesday 25th October 2022 – 19:45
By Ted Slocombe
The Terras are back in action at the Bob Lucas Stadium tomorrow evening, as we take on 20th placed Farnborough, with the aim to secure back-to-back league victories – to climb up from the foot of the table.
Manager Bobby Wilkinson spoke to us ahead of tomorrow evening’s encounter:
On preparations: “Within an hour or so of the game finishing on Saturday, we’d moved on. The important thing from then on was recovery and being focussed for a massive challenge ahead on Tuesday. We need to show belief and be positive with our play in front of our own fans. We need to turn up, express ourselves on the pitch and win. We’re all in it together, let’s see what outcome we can achieve tomorrow.”
On current spirit of the squad following positive form: “It certainly gives us confidence, but as a team we rarely look back, we constantly look forward in our prep for the next game. As I’ve said before, you can never be too high, or too low. As a group, we need to stay calm and be fully focussed on Farnborough, nothing else, just be constantly working and preparing for the next challenge ahead. The boys certainly have confidence, but we must keep our feet on the ground.”
On the challenge that Farnborough brings: “They are a good side, recently promoted of course, who play with a lot of confidence having watched them. They’ve done well in the cup and got a good point away at the weekend. Their squad has lots of pace, but also lots of experienced players who will be looking forward to this game. We need to bring lots of energy, put some smiles on faces and give our fans an entertaining match.”
On the importance of getting a home win: “It’s another game, what’s happened in the past has happened. We need to win the next game – that is the aim – doesn’t matter if it’s home or away. We don’t need to give ourselves that added pressure. It’s purely just another game that we need to go our, perform and win.”
On any injury concerns following Saturday’s game: “I’m very proud of the players, a few were carrying knocks after the game, but they’ve quickly recovered now. Everyone is training hard to be in the squad for the next game. It’s great to see everyone fighting to be in that starting lineup as it shows the group is hungry and raring to go for the next game.”
@TerraStatman’s Facts of the Match:
Some may call it unlucky that we have only faced the Cheerywood Road-based-outfit 13 times but probably not Weymouth as we only have a W5 D1 L7 record against the Hampshire side. In fact its only a slightly better W3 D1 L4 record at the Bob Lucas Stadium and without two recent big wins here for us, I’d be tempted to rate them a “bogeyteam” side!
As for our most recent encounters, I should not need to remind home fans about those as they were both pivotal and memorable matches in our 2018-19 Southern Premier winning season, although the initial encounter didn’t go our way despite a remarkable start! It was matchday no.6 of the season and despite racing into a two goal lead in the first quarter of an hour, we then conceded one on the half hour but maintained our two-goal advantage just before the interval. Therefore not many in the ground that day would then have expected the hosts to perform an unlikely second half turnaround and complete their comeback with a winning fourth goal in the 82nd minute with our goals from Thomson, Baggie and Zubar all being in vain!
At least we would seek our revenge on the final day of the season back in Dorset. It was that most famous of blustery spring afternoons when we won the Southern Premier League on the very final day of the season with Yemi Odubade, Brandon Goodship and Ben Thomson ensuring we got over the line, with Taunton Town snapping at our heels in the title race until the final whistle. Thomson in particular seemed to enjoy playing against this Hampshire team, as he scored in our last four meetings. In the previous season in 2017-18, we enjoyed two big wins – 6-2 away and then an even better scoreline at home, scoring six goals against but this time without reply. Before then we played The Yellows in the Conference South in 2005-06 and both teams gained a win each. The only other time we have faced each other in league action was back in the Southern League in 1990-91, but we left both games pointless.
Apart from a 2002 pre-season friendly, our four other fixtures were all in the FA Cup and all in the final qualifying round – most recently a 1994 loss and then, winding back the clock – a 1983 away replay defeat but our very first encounter (in fact in any competition) was in 1981-82 – a 3-0 win courtesy of an Anni Iannone hat-trick.
The stellar list of selected players who have turned out for both teams today is …
Mick Doherty, Ade Olumuyiwa, Zaki Oualah, Mitchell Parker, Tommy Paterson and Jordan Rose.
Obviously Oualah and Parker are current members of the Weymouth squad with Zaki featuring briefly for The Yellows back in 2017 and Mitchell playing for Farnbough far more recently from 2021-22.
#UpTheTerras
