Keepers prove a point as Terras draw with Blues
By Adam Summers

Wednesday 18th August 2010

Portland United and Weymouth Reserves played out a goalless draw at Grove Corner in the Magna Dorset Premier League last night.

A minute’s silence was held before kick-off in honour of Weymouth’s late club president Bob Lucas and fittingly it was the two goalkeepers that excelled in a very open and even contest.

Lucas, who played between the posts for the Terras in their memorable FA Cup third round tie against Matt Busby’s Manchester United at Old Trafford in the 1949-50 campaign, would have no doubt been impressed by the efforts of Wayne Gifford and Ashley Weeks.

Gifford pulled off the first top-class save of the evening when he tipped ex-Portland striker Lewis Whyton’s close-range header over the crossbar as the visitors made the brighter start.

A mix-up at the back then saw Weeks gift a chance to Nick Etherington at the other end but the ball came at the forward quickly and his instant strike rolled agonisingly wide of the target.

It was a nervous start by the Weymouth keeper but he soon made amends when he dived low to his right to push a fine effort from Ashley Smith wide of the target.

Not to be outdone, Gifford then made a similar save in the second half, denying Mike Rousell with a strong right hand before Weeks flung himself across his line to push Alex Godfrey’s 25-yard strike away from the top left corner of the goal and around the post in the closing stages.

Other noteworthy chances saw another former Blues’ star, Alex Halloran, shoot just wide for the Terras in the first half and Joe Charles send a header just over the bar for the hosts after the break.

Terras’ boss Brendon King, whose men were playing in their first league game of the season, said: “I did not know what side I would have until yesterday, so I was quite pleased with the overall display, particularly as many of lads were playing together for the very first time.

“We were on top in the first half and on another day we would have probably put a couple of the chances away.

“In the second half we started sloppily and for 20 minutes they put us under pressure without ever really cutting us open.

“They had a couple of free headers from corners, which I was not happy about, but on the whole I thought we defended well.

“In terms of fitness I think the lads are fine but tonight you could see they were lacking a bit of match sharpness. “However, there were some good performances and I will be reporting those back to Ian Hutchinson tonight as he looks ahead to the first-team games on Thursday and Saturday.”

Commenting on the two keepers, King added: “They both made fantastic saves. Ash pulled off a great one towards the end when the ball looked to be heading for the top corner and their lad did superbly to push Mike’s effort around the post.”

Blues’ boss Stuart Heath was equally satisfied with his side’s display.

He said: “We always knew they were going to have a strong side out tonight and in the first half they played a lot better than we did.

“I am not sure whether there was a bit of tiredness in some of the legs of our players from Saturday’s draw against Hamworthy Rec but we did not start well and were lucky not to get punished.

“Wayne kept us in it really but to be fair to the lads they took on board what we said to them at half-time and as the game went on we got stronger and stronger.

“I think a draw was a fair result in the end. We have played two outstanding sides so far in Hamworthy and Weymouth and although we would have liked to have taken three points from one of them, we are still a young side and I have been relatively pleased with how we have gone about things. The younger lads are learning all the time and the future continues to look good.”

Blues: Gifford, Wells, Carter, Charles, Cranny, Marshallsay (Austin 78), Smith, Coggins, Etherington, Beades (Turrell 65), Godfrey. Subs not used: Carroll, Pattison, Skelton.

Terras: Weeks, Tribe, Poole, Vincent, Welch, Litherland, McKechnie, Ironside (Robinson 69), Whyton, Rousell, Halloran (Richardson 74). Subs not used: Greatrex, King. Attendance: 144