Match report by Jack Webb
Weymouth leave Arbour Park with a point by keeping a clean sheet in a goalless draw with Slough Town which sees their league unbeaten run extended to three games.
The Terras remain 18th in the National League South table, now with 12 points from 11 games.
Although Bobby Wilkinson’s side lie one point above the relegation zone, they find themselves 10 points better off than at this stage the previous season.
This improved run of form appears to be a pointer of the “consistency” that Wilkinson is looking for with his players, the Weymouth gaffer stating last Wednesday that maintaining good league form is about playing “sevens and eights [out of 10] every week.”
The match, lacking in many clear-cut chances for both sides, could be described as scrappy, the Terras fighting for their point with some defensive reliability.
The visitors, throughout the game, defended deep and compact, allowing them to clear Dan Bayliss and Rebels top-scorer George Alexander’s effort off the line.
The earlier stages resulted in the lion’s share of the opportunities being in Slough’s favour, their first chance coming from forward Nathan Minhas.
The prolific scorer fired just over the bar after controlling the ball just inside the 18-yard box.
The striker’s chance would be a reflection of how the majority of the first half would pan out.
Unsurprisingly, Gerard Benfield was the busier of the two goalkeepers during this period, the Terras shot stopper parrying away a series of efforts from the hosts.
The man between the sticks was certainly helped by his defence, as shown when they managed to scramble Dan Bayliss’ header off the line in the 23rd minute.
Though the second half saw a continuation of the hosts with the better opportunities, Wilkinson’s side were increasingly resilient, refusing to be beaten.
Even Terras marksman Ezio Touray proved a stalwart at the back, heading the ball off the line only a few minutes after the break.
Whilst Rebels substitute David Ogbonna proved a handful late on, Weymouth were unable to be broken down, walking away with their second clean sheet of the season.
Speaking to the club last Wednesday, Wilkinson described himself as a manager who prefers to see a “disciplined” game from his team.
On Saturday he achieved just that.
“Out of possession we were absolutely outstanding,” the Weymouth boss stated. “The battling performance not to concede was so important.”
“You’ve got to go back four weeks ago to Hampton & Richmond, where we gave away a sloppy penalty.”
The point at Arbour Park made it the Terras’ 12th in 11 games, a far cry from just TWO this time last year.
Who knows, maybe the consistency that Wilkinson is looking for is at its beginning.
