Seasiders taught a lesson by students

Seasiders Shut-Out by Sedulous Students

Unbeaten Weymouth travelled to bottom of the table Portsmouth University aiming to build on their perfect start to the season.

With 5 wins to start the season, a confident Weymouth went to HMS Temeraire to take on a student side that had yet to register a point in Hampshire Division One this season. With very few Second XI players able to travel and first team regulars Mike Westlake, Giles Broadhead, Matt Hicks and Luke Drewitt all unavailable, captain Steve Membury only had eleven players available for the trip meaning a rare return into the back four for Matt Underhill and extra game time for promising teenagers Ben Simpson and Florian Ziegenbalg.

Weymouth looked to assert themselves in the early exchanges, controlling ball and territory for most of the first ten minutes. However, they were not able to turn this dominance into many clear cut chances and it was the home side who had the best of the early chances, their first short corner strike however sailed over the bar.

As the half progressed Weymouth became more frustrated that their early domination was going unrewarded and the Students worked hard to get themselves back in the game. Another short corner was toed wide by David Civil in the Weymouth goal before another attacking foray by the home side resulted in a comical, yet costly few minutes for the home side.

Portsmouth’s centre forward did well to beat his marker and round the goalkeeper before firing a hard shot from the top of the circle. Only defender Matt Underhill stood between the ball and goal and off-balance, he had no time to get his stick on the ball as it slammed into his foot, the shot ricocheting wide. After some consultation the umpires awarded a penalty goal, ruling that it was only Underhill’s illegal deflection that prevented a certain goal. An understandable decision perhaps but there is no ‘penalty goal’ rule in hockey.

After repeated protestations the umpires did eventually relent, awarding a justified penalty stoke to the university side but harshly sending Underhill for 10-minute stretch in sin-bin for his ‘deliberate’ foul. The subsequent penalty was despatched to the keeper’s right and whilst Civil went the right way, he was only able to glance the ball into the side netting. 1-0 to Portsmouth Uni.

Portsmouth looked to make their man advantage count heading into half time, winning another short corner that beat Civil for pace but was expertly blocked by the ever-green David Sainte-Bernard on the line. The visitors fought to get back at their hosts but to no avail; the score at half-time: Portsmouth University 1-0 Weymouth.

The second half saw a Weymouth side become increasingly frustrated that they were unable to breakdown their hosts with the ease they had despatched other sides earlier in the season. This frustration seemed to lead to some poor decision making and hit-and-hope passing that was readily picked off by the home side. Weymouth often coughed up possession in their own half, the defence battling admirably to keep these attacks at bay. The one time that Portsmouth’s goal-scorer was able to break free, Civil was out quickly to pull off a full-stretch stick save on a rifled shot that looked like it was already past him.

Weymouth kept knocking and were rewarded with a series of penalty corners in the last ten minutes. Unfortunately, the corner routines did not quite gel on the day and those strikes that were on target were kept out well by a keeper in inspired form and a resolute defence. Even at the final whistle Weymouth were awarded a penalty corner which was eventually cleared legally at the third-time of asking by the University side who perhaps deservedly held on for a hard-fought win.

Speaking after the game, Weymouth Captain Membury reflected on a disappointing game for the Seasiders. “On reflection we did not treat the game with the same attitude that has been so successful in the first five games of the season. Civil pulled off a ‘worldy’ of a save to keep us in it in the second half but we just didn’t have the cutting edge today.”

Now second in Hampshire Division One, Weymouth return to league action on Saturday with a home fixture at Redlands against sixth paced Havant. On Sunday they begin their National Vase campaign away to Trinity Mid-Whitgiftian of Surrey Division One. Weymouth have previously won this competition twice have beaten Tring 3-0 in the 2001 final at the old National Hockey Stadium and Old Bordenian in 2003.

Bookings:
Yellow: M Underhill
Green: D Bowles

Weymouth: D Civil, B Simpson, D Beaudro, M Underhill, S Harvey, S Membury (capt), D Bowles, T Andrews, F Ziegenbalg, A Wilkinson, P May.