Weymouth 3-3 Southampton University

Weymouth 3-3 Southampton University

Both hosts Weymouth and visitors Southampton University had begun their seasons with a win at home and loss on the road so perhaps a draw at Redlands would have suited the students. Weymouth were certainly frustrated not to have capitalised on early opportunities and for allowing three clear cut chances in the second half to go begging.

The Seasiders were dominant in the early stages but could not find the net through open play nor a number of penalty corners. It was the students who were first on the score sheet having finally shaken off the previous night’s session in the union bar. The goal came from a turnover at a Weymouth penalty corner and a quick break meant that the Weymouth defence were horribly outnumbered. The Southampton counter freed up two players at the back post allowing one of them a simple tap in past goalkeeper David Civil.

Weymouth recovered well and resumed their pressure in the final third. Good work from each of the forwards eventually paid off, notably through Andrew Stiles winning a number of penalty corners, two of which were converted by Patrick May with drag flicks to the top left corner.

At the half time break both teams were put on notice by the umpires that any further stick tackles would be punished by a visit to the sin bin. The rule was strictly enforced and players from each team served a number of suspensions in the second half, notably Simon Harvey, Stiles, May and Luke Drewitt for the hosts.

Weymouth’s ill-discipline affected their organisation generally and they once again fell behind. The students scored two goals in quick succession through overloads down the right hand side of the pitch to take the score line to 3-2.

Weymouth then recovered again and resumed control of the midfield through the composure of Daniel Bowles and Matthew Underhill

On another day the hosts would have then scored three goals for themselves. Firstly Underhill went one on one with the keeper but couldn’t pick out either corner of the goal. Aaron Wilkinson was then picked out in space at the back post but the ball skipped over his flat stick. Finally Harvey was played in and again Wilkinson ran to the back post but the pass was off target and the Southampton goalkeeper was able to intercept.

It seemed as if it wasn’t to be the Seasiders’ day as the game was drifting towards a disappointing conclusion but minutes before the final whistle the hosts got the goal to salvage a point. From a penalty corner May dragged the ball low to Underhill who deflected onto the left post. The rebound went across the face of goal and Drewitt was able to bat it into the net.

This Saturday Weymouth are on the road again to Trojans in Southampton who have only one point from their first three fixtures.

Man of the match: Daniel Bowles

Goals: Patrick May x 2, Luke Drewitt