Asa Hall's Youngsters Face Languishing Weymouth.

Match Preview

Tiverton Town v Weymouth

Saturday March 7th

Kick Off: 3pm

At The Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium

Darren Holmes

Asa Hall v Weymouth (a) - Viv Curtis

There will be many quick turnaround's fixture wise for Tiverton who are catching up after the postponements in January and February. There is no time to dwell on Tuesday night's loss to Havant & Waterlooville with another game on the horizon, at home this weekend.

Our visit to Weymouth's Bob Lucas Stadium at the backend of September, marked a low point in a challenging season. Defensive frailties were exposed when a team also struggling in the bottom Four raced into a 3-0 lead, in the opening 14 minutes!

The Terras’ like ourselves have faced troubled times. Steve Claridge was the man in the hotseat on that day, after he had replaced Warren Feeney who had departed with only Three week's of the new term complete. A Third manager Jamie Wells was appointed in December, when Claridge agreed to part company with the club.

It's may be a little too late for the Yellows’ to have any say on their own destiny, but they can still influence the relegation battle. With home games remaining against Hungerford later on in March and Plymouth Parkway at the start of April still to come, at the Slee Blackwell Solicitors Stadium and this one versus the team in 19th place.

Asa Hall and his coaching team of Steve Orchard and David Steele will be casting their eye's over the current squad, with a view to next season and there are many reasons for players to look to impress, as Fifteen games are still remaining. 

The team will come face to face with recent departures, the crowd pleasing and extremely talented Tor Swann and Harry Hutchinson who showed his defensive qualities on a number of occasions.

Weymouth's latest boss Jamie Wells's has upgraded to this role, after being first team coach at the club. Since being installed, he has registered wins against leaders Walton & Hersham and play off positioned Poole. Though without better consistency they will remain in trouble. 

The Terras’ are on a run of Four straight losses. Admittedly two those  defeats were versus high placed Gloucester and Farnham who they narrowly went down to at the weekend, but a 5-1 reverse to Uxbridge was also amongst those results.

One plus for them appears to be the return to form of Brandon Goodship, who has had some lean year's, for a striker who was a big goalscorer for the club. His performances earnt him a move to then EFL side Southend United. Rediscovering his touch in front of goal, he has Nine from Weymouth’s last Eleven league games.

When he signed pro terms with Southend, it was his second taste of life in the EFL. A young professional with Bournemouth, he played 18 times for Yeovil in league Two. In a first spell with Weymouth,the 31 yr old, made 83 appearances in this division and found the net 75 times.

Fellow forward Euan Pollock is a strong presence and after a short time away is back with the Terras’. The Popular player came through Bournemouth's youth system and prior to his arrival at the Bob Lucas Stadium, played for both Truro and Hungerford on loan from the Cherries’.

Rueben Reid should need no introduction. A potent striker for both Plymouth and Exeter. The powerful marksman is 37 now and signed for Weymouth after Three season's at Weston Super Mare. 

A host of other EFL clubs have been part of his successful playing career. West Brom, Oldham, Brentford, Cheltenham, Forest Green and Yeovil are a selection of other clubs that the much in demand frontman has represented.

Signed in the close season from Wimborne, skilful 27 yr old winger Matty Burrows’ has returned to the Terras’. Starring against us last term, the technically gifted Burrow’s has also played for Totton in campaign's past and is a very capable goalscorer.

Captain Tom Bearwish has dropped back into midfield, having earlier played upfront. He played in step’s 4 and 5 for Eastleigh and Weymouth respectively and he is into Fifth successive season with the Terras’. The 26 yr old is an inspirational figure for the Dorset side.

Fellow midfielder Callum Watts was with Salisbury last term and as a young footballer he was nurtured at Southampton. The talented and creative Watts is 24 and other than Salisbury has served Bath City and Chelmsford City in National League South.

Andreas Robinson has plenty of pedigree and in his formative year's was a Pro with both Southampton and Bolton. And although he only made a single appearance for the Saints’ in that time, the 33 year old has played a large majority of his football in the high climbs of the Non League structure.

A big player for the visitor's, he was also an important player for Havant & Waterlooville and Weymouth in National South. The classy midfielder has played over 150 times for Saturday's opponents.

There is a wealth of experience that remains in the away dressing room. Centre back Callum Brooks has been involved in Eleven season's at the Bob Lucas Stadium. A cultured and popular player who has had an injury hit season, Brooks has additionally played for Salisbury and at the start of his career for Dorchester. He has played in excess of 300 League games for the Terras’.

Ex Winchester defender Kieran Douglas joins him in the backline. Starting at Wimborne, the commanding Douglas also had a stint with Dorchester in the 2022/23 campaign. He spent the previous term, with Bemerton Heath Harlequins.

Highly rated Goalkeeper Max Evan's had returned to the club and took the gloves at the weekend, but Matt Wonnacott whose loan spell at the Yellows’ recently expired has just been signed as an emergency loan.

Can Asa Hall's young gun's get the better of a seasoned and talented, but struggling Weymouth? No result is off the table in this Saturday's game and there will be a lot of interesting individual battles. So let's get down to the ground and support the lads.