It's Always Darkest Before The Dawn
By Steve Dadd & Pete Pavey

28th April 2002

The curtain came down at the Wessex Stadium on a season that promised so much and in the end delivered so little.

The warm up was more entertaining than the opening 15 minutes, it was almost surreal as a bunch of blokes kicked a pigs bladder out of play or fell down and sought the physio’s attention.

First chance fell to Ilkeston, Glen Kirkwood got onto the end of a through ball but blasted wide.

Lenny Curtis diverted the locals attention away from the chairman with his falling down, his leaving of the pitch, his resumption of duties then his further breaking down and ultimate replacement by Ian Robinson on 23 minutes.

David Holmes provided Glen Kirkwood with a chance but his shot lacked power and was easily gathered by Payne. Three minutes later Kirkwood again was in the thick of it, but headed wide from a James Whitehead cross.

Weymouth should have taken the lead after the half hour, Hutchinson's precision through ball was picked up by Rawlinson but with the goal at his mercy his scuffed shot was gathered by Ford the Ilkeston gloveman.

A minute later, Michael Dean found Mark Robinson [above] on the right flank, he beat his marker out wide, cut into the box and sent his shot under the keeper, with the ball running goalwards the despairing foot of Gary Middleton cleared the ball off the line.

Alex Browne attempted a close range header in the 36th minute, but it flew harmlessly wide. [right]

Mark Rawlinson's season finished on 38 minutes with a calf strain, he was replaced by Sajic.

Player of the year, Ian Hutchinson hit a scorching 30 yard drive on 40 minutes, with the wind causing the ball to move in the air, Ford managed to get his right palm to it and push the ball away for a corner. From the set piece Alex Browne headed over.

Right on the stroke of half time Paul Payne pulled off a reflex save in front of goal to see both sides go in a half time level pegging.

Ilkeston restarted the brighter on this dull, damp, windy and cold afternoon, Glen Kirkwood tried to chip Payne after 50 minutes but his shot went over, Kirkwood again bought out the best in Payne 5 minutes later with his 15 yard effort.

On the hour John McGinlay came on for Kennerdale, and with the calls from around the ground echoing with one name "Andy Mason" it was just a matter of time before the out of contract player manager would make his last appearance in a Terra Cotta and blue shirt.

Underhay came on for Walker, little did he know that this would be his last appearance in a Weymouth shirt.

Unders introduction produced immediate results, he scorched down the right flank and sent across a low drive that was spilled by the keeper; Chris Timmons cleared the danger.

From Dean’s corner, Waldock rose high to header on target but the ball came off an Ilkeston foot, the rebound fell to Robinson who attempted a bicycle kick which hit McGinlay.


The Terra’s faithful finally got their man as Andy Mason took off his sweat shirt and ran onto the pitch, with cries of "you fat bastard" and "we remember you at Worcester" the Mancunian made his final appearance.

His first touch was greeted with cries of shoot, but the joy of the occasion was short lived as Ilkeston broke away, McGinlay hoofed the ball out of defence, which found Curtis on the right flank, he delivered the ball to former Gresley Rovers star Jake Fairbrother who lashed his shot home from 30 odd yards.

So at the final whistle, in this final game of the season, Andy Mason and Martin Underhay left the pitch together, tears were being shed as this was Andy’s finale.