Match Preview

After two weeks without a game, we are finally back in action tonight as we (finally) welcome Weymouth to Champion Hill.

This is the third attempt to play this fixture, with the original fixture postponed due to the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in September, before the rearranged one was called off at the request of our visitors as they prepared for their FA Cup First Round tie.

Like us, the Terras had a tough start to the season, failing to win in any of their first 11 league outings. However, since the arrival of Bobby Wilkinson at the helm, things have drastically improved, with five wins from their last nine. Indeed they have picked up 13 points from their last five league games, and now are just two points from safety, with Slough sitting in 20th position above them. They will have Luke Nippard available to them again, but will be without the services of Teddy Howe, Ben Thomson and Harry Kyprianou.

We of course have had a good start to the month, in what feels like an eternity ago, with that draw at Oxford and win over Chelmsford moving us up to 19th, with games in hand on virtually all the teams around us. Victory tonight will move us up a further three places. Good news for Hamlet fans will undoubtedly be the return of captain Jack Holland and striker Dan Smith to the squad, whilst Kreshnic Krasniqi is available again following his four game ban.

Tonight's game will be just the third ever meeting between the clubs. The two previous games came during the shortened 2019-20 campaign, a season which ended with The Terras being promoted to the National League through the playoffs.

The first meeting on Non-League Day in October 2019 saw almost 3,000 people packed into Champion Hill, and they were treated to a cracker. Connor Hunte had given us a lead before future Hamlet winger Lionel Ainsworth scored a stunning volley to level. Weymouth went ahead through a Yemi Odubade penalty, before Christian Smith equalised in the 56th minute. In the reverse fixture, Ainsworth was now playing for us, and indeed gave us an early lead. Jake McCarthy equalised before the break and that was the way it stayed.

If you are joining us this evening, the Supporters' Trust Mega Container will be open from 7 o'clock for some last minute Christmas goodies!