Tuesday 18th March 2008
Vics 2 v 2 Weymouth

After having created a match winning position Vics appeared to lose their concentration allowing Weymouth to come back from a two goal deficit and share points that were precious to both teams.

On a bitterly cold night the home side strove immediately to warm their fans with an early goal. And Lee Steele almost got into a position to deliver but was eventually unable to bring the ball under sufficient control to strike from close range. A bizarre looping back pass put the Weymouth goal under further threat and Byrne failed by a whisker to capitalise, his shot at the far post striking the side netting. Weymouth replied by forcing three corners in quick succession that were all dealt with competently. Belle then executed a vital last ditch challenge that denied Weatherstone a scoring opportunity from directly in front of goal.

Weymouth keeper Stephen Henderson dropped a long free kick inside his box and Stamp reacted quickly to lob a shot toward goal that seemed certain to open the scoring until a defender got back to scoop the ball from off the goal line. A vicious inswinging ball from Byrne forced Henderson to stretch and tip over his bar.

The partnership of Stamp and Steele continues to blossom and when the former cleverly set up the latter, Steele shot past the advancing keeper but frustratingly wide of the post. Henderson added to Vics' first half frustration by tipping a Byrom close range header over the bar to ensure that the half ended equal, rather than a couple of goals advantage to Northwich.

It took just three minutes after the break to put everything right. Former Vics defender Chris Blackburn misjudged his header from a Wilson through ball allowing STEELE to run unchallenged at the goal and this time he made no mistake in defeating the exposed Henderson to score. Crowell, whose influence on the game was gradually growing, made a vital block five yards from goal to deny a certain goal. Steele drove a half chance over the bar following another error from an uncertain Blackburn before Brown blasted a left foot shot high over the bar after a quickly taken free kick by Byrne had left him in a promising position. A clumsy tackle by Meadowcroft gave Weymouth a free kick in a potentially dangerous area and only three consecutive blocks from defenders kept the Vics lead intact.

Superb inter play between Crowell and Stamp ended with Crowell shooting wide when seemingly well placed to score. Yet Vics were not to be denied and they eventually extended their lead in the 73rd minute. Steele foraged forward to find Mullan to his right and from his cross STAMP rose to head against the cross bar and when he went for the rebound along with Blackburn a return header found its way into the Weymouth net leaving the Vics forward to claim the goal.

At this point a victory and vital maximum points seemed a virtual certainty, perhaps a supposition that was too readily adopted by the Vics players. Weymouth responded quickly and within 70 seconds clawed a lifeline when HYDE turned a Robinson left wing cross into the net from barely 6 yards. Vics appeared to have lost their concentration and helped by unforced errors from the home players Weymouth took control. And Maamria's men were made to pay for their indiscretions when they again failed to deal with a cross leaving COUTTS to pounce on the loose ball to score from close range.

For what was left of the game Vics failed to regain their fluency allowing Weymouth to finish, if anything, the stronger and take a point that had once seemed unlikely back to Dorset.

Team: 3-5-2
Wilson, Belle, Meadowcroft /
Mullan, Crowell, Byrom, Byrne (Burns 85), Brown /
Subs not used: Connett, Bowler, Horrocks, Carr
Referee: C. Pawson
Attendance: 636
Man of the Match: Lee Steele