Image by Salisbury.
Salisbury Vs Weymouth
National League South, Raymond McEnhill Stadium, Wednesday 1st January, 15:00 GMT
Happy New Year, Terras fans!
After an eventful 2024 which saw some difficulties, including two managerial changes, we head into 2025 on a slightly more positive note after our start to the Warren Feeney era began brightly, with two draws in as many games.
Our most recent point came during the festive period on Boxing Day, when a Brandon-Goodship double delightfully earned us a draw at home to table-toppers Torquay United.
This game saw a couple of crucial landmarks, one of them being our first league goal at home scored this season before the 70th minute.
The other, and slightly more impressive bragging point, was Goody’s 100th goal, a feat someone of his quality richly deserved.
Though as Warren told us yesterday, we must remain “level-headed” as a tricky away game at Salisbury awaits us.
“The Whites” are led by Brian Dutton, a gaffer who is familiar with Warren from our gaffer’s previous time spent coaching at the Wiltshire club, and their debut season in England’s sixth tier has certainly been a respectable one.
Sitting 11 points seven places ahead of us in 17th-place, they have put on impressive performances on their turf over the course of this campaign, with wins that include a 5-0 hammering versus Hemel Hempstead Town.
HOW TO FOLLOW
We are delighted to announce that the ever-brilliant Ben Ashleford will be commentating for us this afternoon. Click HERE to access his in-game thoughts.
Updates will also be provided on social media throughout the match, alongside post-game reaction after the final whistle.
SALISBURY’S STELLAR SIXTH-TIER START
Near the lower end of mid-table, The Whites’ start to life in the National League South may appear as one with survival as priority.
However, given their history, a time period that spans less than a decade, few can deny how impressive they have been so far.
The news you may not want to hear is that it has been their home form this season that has kept them safe, picking up 17 points out of 25 at their “Ray Mac” ground.
Arguably most impressive of those results was a 5-0 thrashing of Hemel just over a month ago, a game which saw a brace from both Jaden Perez and Jordan Raguette, alongside another from Craig Fasanmade.
For The Whites’ faithful, this result may come somewhat close to their final game of last season, a match which arguably is the most important in the club’s history so far.
That game was their “dramatic” victory in the Southern Football League Premier Division South, a contest which saw two goal each from Salisbury and opponents Totton, before a penalty shootout sealed victory.
All in all, we are set to face a side who are in good spirits.
But whilst our shaky season may leave some in a more depleted mood, as Warren said, our previous results are now “history” and what we have at our disposal is a team capable of pulling themselves out of the drop zone.
Perhaps Salisbury are facing us at just the wrong time…
