WEYMOUTH will relish the chance to play some of their squad players in their Dorset Senior Cup match away to Bridport.
Last year’s winners will look to make a good start to their title defence, with the Terras having a stranglehold on the competition over the last three years, having also won it in 2015 and 2016.
The busy fixture list may play a factor in team selection and Weymouth assistant-manager Paul Maitland said it “perhaps won’t be the strongest side we put out”.
Maitland continued: “We’ve got to bear in mind that we are away on Saturday and Tuesday.”
The Terras visit Hitchin Town in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division on Saturday followed by a trip to AFC Totton in the BigFreeBet.com Challenge Cup next Tuesday.
However Maitland stresses that the squad will prepare for the match like any other, with all players told to be available.
Maitland also highlighted that the experience will be useful for the players with valuable game time against a good team on offer.
Bridport are currently 12th in the Toolstation Western League Premier Division and beat Brislington 3-1 in their last outing, courtesy of goals from Ed Butcher, Leigh Bailey and Mark Salter.
Looking ahead to the match against the Bees, Maitland said: “It will be a really good test for the players.”
Weymouth will be looking for a more positive result after going out of the FA Trophy with a 4-1 loss away at Hereford on Saturday, with John Mills hitting a hat-trick.
Maitland added that Weymouth may take the opportunity to use the match to give some younger players and other squad members some more game time.
One such player will be Dane James, who is set to go into the Weymouth squad despite being on loan at Bridport.
