WOKING v WEYMOUTH

WOKING v WEYMOUTH (REDUCED ADMISSION PRICES!)
Setanta Shield, Southern Area Quarter-Final
7.45pm on Tuesday 26 February 2008

Head on down to Kingfield this evening for the latest instalment of the Setanta Shield! John Hollins?s top priority is to save the Terras from relegation but the Setanta Shield has brought his best result so far. His first game in charge saw Weymouth bow out of the FA Trophy away at Ebbsfleet but he got a modicum of revenge a few days later when his new charges romped home 4-0 against the Fleet in the Setanta Shield, a result that brings them to Kingfield this evening. Reduced admission prices apply to this game: see at end of article.

WEYMOUTH SQUAD

Last season?s financial meltdown vanquished any thoughts the Terras had of leaping straight into the League. Garry Hill and many of his expensively-assembled squad were forced to take the exit doors from the Wessex Stadium. The Terras faltered as they drafted in a host of young players but steadied the ship to end in 11th place.

Hill?s successor, player-manager Jason Tindall, brought in his fair share of new faces in the summer. They included Marcus Browning as player/coach. Browning is a former Welsh international and arrived from Bournemouth. Other arrivals included Justin Roberts, a 20 year-old defender from Nottingham Forest, who had a trial at Woking at one stage; Stuart Douglas, the former Luton Town forward who has also appeared for Dagenham and Redbridge and Crawley Town; midfielder Paolo Vernazza, previously with Arsenal and Watford before spells with Barnet, Rotherham and the Daggers; Sido Jombarti, a Portuguese midfielder; Scott Doe, a 19 year-old midfielder from Swindon Town; Jonathan Stewart, a 19 year-old keeper, also from Swindon Town, who surprisingly quit the club two months ago; Kyle Critchell, a 20 year-old defender from Southampton, returning to his home town club; and of course Jefferson Louis, formerly with Oxford, Bristol Rovers, Woking, Stevenage, Lewes, Eastleigh etc etc. Jefferson lasted till Christmas before he had the predictable falling-out with Tindall.

The main departures in the summer were former Card, Raphael Nade, who joined Ebbsfleet United, and central defender Tony James, who moved to Burton Albion. Those re-signing include the experienced campaigners Trevor Challis, Nick Crittenden, Ashley Vickers and Simon Weatherstone. Narada Barnard, who appeared in friendlies for us, is also in the Terras squad.

Since his arrival on 29 January Hollins has brought in 22 year-old midfielder Franklin Anzite, released by Swindon Town, and Jack Compton, a 19 year-old left-sided winger on loan from WBA. He has also released central defender Joel Kitamirike.

SEASON SO FAR

The Terras, after an opening day home win over Halifax Town, found themselves with early encounters against what turned out to be most of the top sides. This put them in the lower reaches of the table and that?s where they?ve remained. Their chief undoing has been their home form: they?ve won 3, drawn 2 and lost 9 at the Wessex Stadium. The writing was on the wall for Jason Tindall as the Terras went for nearly three months without a league win. The ghastly sequence was broken by a surprising victory at Oxford United on 8 January, but it was followed by another defeat, away to Rushden and Diamonds, and Tindall was sacked.

In the FA Cup the Terras lost 1-0 at Cambridge. They beat Wealdstone 1-0 away in the First Round of the Trophy and eventually managed to get past Kidderminster Harriers on penalties after a replay. But Hollins?s first game in charge saw them go out, away to Ebbsfleet 1-0. They got the better of Salisbury, 2-1, in the Fourth Round of the Setanta Shield and then thumped Ebbsfleet 4-0 in the Fifth Round, in Hollins?s first home game in charge. In the BSP the Terras have yet to win under Hollins, losing 2-1 at Stafford, drawing 0-0 at home to Torquay and, on Saturday, slipping to a 1-0 defeat at home to Histon. Weymouth are now in 19th position, level on points with Altrincham, one place below them.

SETANTA SHIELD

The Setanta Shield is, in effect, the latest incarnation of the Conference League Cup, a competition open to all Conference sides which began when the Conference was formed in the 1979-80 season and which ran for 22 seasons until it was scrapped at the end of the 2000-01 season. It was revived in the 2004-05 season, during which it managed to acquire four different names: the Football Conference Challenge Cup, the Carthium Cup, the National Conference Cup and the GLS (Gladwish Land Sales) Cup. The Cards beat Stalybridge Celtic in the Final of the GLS Cup 1-0 at Stalybridge with a deflected shot by Karl Murray just before the end, thus adding another impressive entry to Glenn?s cv! The GLS Cup was scrapped after only one season because of the lack of interest shown by fans ? not helped by under-strength teams being played on a number of occasions. This is being countered in the Setanta Shield by rules that require clubs to name in their 16 a high proportion of the squads for their previous two league games. The competition is regionalised till the semi-final stage.

In Round Four of the Setanta Shield the 24 BSP Premier clubs joined the 8 survivors from the earlier rounds. The Cards beat a less-than-full-strength Stevenage Borough side 2-1 with goals from Liam Marum and Gez Sole (a trademark free-kick just after he?d come on as a substitute). In the Fifth Round the Cards overcame Forest Green Rovers 1-0, thanks to a Chris Giles own goal. The eventual winners of the final will receive ?12,000. The quarter final ties are:

Northwich v Kidderminster or Rushden and Diamonds
Nuneaton B/Halifax T v Droylsden/Burton

Crawley v Aldershot
Woking v Weymouth

Could we get another crack at the Shots this season?!

PREVIOUS ENCOUNTERS

In November 2006 the Cards enjoyed a 4-0 win at home over the Terras ? which came as a bit of a surprise after four successive league defeats. Giuseppe Sole opened the scoring from a free-kick and then Tom Hutchinson buried a header to put Woking 2-0 ahead at the break. Craig McAllister got the third after initially missing a penalty and Goma Lambu netted the fourth. Last March we completed the double over Weymouth, gaining three vital points in a 3-2 win. The Cards were 2-0 down at half-time as a result of strikes from Raphael Nade and Simon Weatherstone but fought back superbly in the second half, with goals from Tom Hutchinson, Craig McAllister and another Giuseppe Sole ?special? to grab the win.

This season we drew 1-1 at Kingfield in early September. The Terras dominated the first half but didn?t take the lead till the 60th minute, Jefferson Louis heading in Paolo Vernazza?s free-kick. But Woking produced their own bit of Italian magic when Giuseppe Sole smashed home a lay-back from Marvin Morgan following the latter?s fine run.

The return encounter, on 19 January, saw a hard-working Woking side gain an invaluable 1-0 win, thanks to a fine Marvin Morgan finish in the 80th minute after Sido Jombarti had missed an absolute ?sitter? for the home side.

ADMISSION PRICES

Admission prices for this game are:

Leslie Gosden Stand
Adults ?10
Concessions ?6
Juniors and Students ?3

Terracing and Other Stands
Adults ?8
Concessions ?5
Juniors and Students ?2

Treat yourself to a seat in the magnificent LGS and some superb Seafare fish and chips!


Come on, you Cards!