Where there's a Will there's a Weymouth

Where there's a Will there's a Weymouth

I love Weymouth.

When I think of that little seaside town in Dorset, I think fondly of a Family Holiday in the long hot Summer of 1976, ice creams, beaches and sun cream on the English Riviera.

My admiration for the place was not dimmed by the brand of football that Weymouth FC brought to Penydarren Park yesterday either.

The South Coast side are riding high on the 'crest of a wave', whereas in complete contrast Merthyr Town are stuck in 'the doldrums' , going through the motions of the hardest season for many a year, both on and off the field.

With a run of wins and a settled crew of 'land lubbers', Weymouth FC set about sinking the half submerged SS Martyr with the aid of their star striker Brandon Goodship.

In complete contrast, Merthyr are stuck in a rut and getting less luck than Lord Lucan at a roulette wheel of only one colour.

There's a saying that in life you don't always get what you deserve.

Whilst this adage definitely applies to Hollywood Murderer Charlie Manson, it had its place in the tale of this football encounter yesterday.

After 150 goals for the Club, our Aberdare Diamondback has gone down in Merthyr Folklore and Legend and he was presented with a silver tray to mark the occasion (Tray-lore?)- .

Whilst not wishing to be seen as mocking the gesture, it is a sad fact that such loyalty and genius would be rewarded by a Premiership Club with a lucrative testimonial , whilst at our grassroots level, it is an equally sad fact that clubs our size struggle to survive hand to mouth from week to week and it is only the hard work of volunteers that keep teams afloat in difficult financial seas.

The 'gulf' between the top professional teams awash with foreign imported players and satellite funding and the semi-professional game is now so vast that the 'Sky really is the limit' .

Well this 3-0 home defeat will certainly induce the night 'terras' that Manager Gavin Williams and the players will suffer this week but the result on paper certainly flatters the South Coast outfit.

I would not wish anyone to think this is a case of sour grapes ( although last night's wine toast watching Wales do a Chesham United job on Scotland in the Rugby did help) as Weymouth deserved all three points for their champagne performance.

At our level, the actions of a goalkeeper can make or break matches and that was evident by the Will Dennis show.

The Weymouth keeper had little to do but his contribution to the game was key to this away win for Weymouth, as two saves he made were crucial in preventing the 'tide' turning in favour of the Welsh outfit.

One full stretch save to his left , after a hopeful low daisy cutter from the quality Adam Davies,
( Punt & Dennis?) just on halftime kept the Weymouth Goodship full steam 'ahead' on course for the Away Dressing Room.

The goal that changed the course of the game came from the head of Weymouth 9
Harry Baker (for the dyslexics amongst us- no relation to either of the Hairy Bikers) and it was put on a silver tray for him by the outstanding Abdulai Baggie (the one in the oversized Wright-Phillips shorts).

What a prospect that lad is, he was energetic, wily with skill and pace to burn - no wonder he is a full International player.

Once again, on the one occasion that Baggie had got behind the outstanding Adam Davies and crossed from the byline, it signalled a goal- this move has plagued us all season long -with Baker using his loaf to steer the ball passed both Oliver Davies and Cameron Clarke (sadly in a position he doesn't deserve -in the crowd behind the goal) for the opener.

Poor old Gavin Williams on the touch line cursed his run of bad luck and swore at the albatross Merthyr scarf * that hung around his neck.

*Boz Note : Albatross scarves to be available to mark the 2017/2018 season are coming to the Club shop shortly to raise much needed funds.

The rest of the first half was pretty much forgettable, except of course the clash between Captain Marble and the Weymouth 6 , Josh Carmichael, on the near side touch line.

Despite the 50 shades of grey cloud that hung over Penydarren Park yesterday, there was certainly a patch of red mist that descended over the pair, after two slide tackles that Ashley Morris had no right to win but did anyway.

The Welshman took exception to the challenge of the midfielder and decided he wanted to swap hair instead of shirts and was very fortunate that unbiased International referee
Simon 'Wales' decided that yellow was the new black rather than red.

True, it was less of a scrap than the William Rees-Mogg FightClub but it was clear evidence that our Captain hadn't had his usual Hannibal Lector pre-match meal of liver and a nice Chianti.

Once more, the second half continued in the same Groundhog Day fashion that has been evident of late, with the main Merthyr threat coming from the butler-service of Traylor by Adam Davies and the aerial prowess of the Prossiah being snuffed out by the Weymouth defence.

It will take a long time before Prosser will return to full match fitness after such a lengthy injury lay-off but yesterday he was marked out of the game by the big Weymouth 4, Stephane Zubar.

Initially, I thought he would be the weak link in the side, as he looked slow and lumbering but what he lacked in pace he made up for with his physical presence and anticipation.

He was a good reader of the game too, as the copy of 'Shoot' magazine he had in his short's pocket for periods of inactivity in the Weymouth half, evidenced.

With a first half lead, the Weymouth fans and manager Mark Molesley (being no stranger to the away tunnels ) knew they were both on and under Terra Firma and changed their formation to set up and 'scuttle' the beleaguered home side with their 'subs' and pace up front.

Goodship was moving at a rate of 'knots', as was the 'overseas' Sierra Leone international Baggie and his constant harrying (with Baker) led to a mistake at the heart of the Merthyr Defence.

Another classic hospital pass along the back line, led to Captain Marble getting into his own 'knot' and in turning into the 'shipping lane traffic', he 'castaway' the 'Wilson' which led to his nemesis Carmichael scoring and getting his head rubbed again - this time by his teammates- in celebration.

This second goal- a little against the run of play- seemed to stir the Merthyr spirit and they tried once again vainly to get back into the match.

In a familiar pattern this season, this chasing of the game led to bigger swells of open ocean from which Goodship was able to sail into and fill the 'net' for the third on 83 minutes.

Once again, whilst the scoreline flattered the away side, I think Weymouth will have been pleased to leave the Valleys with three hard earned points in what was a tough test of their title credentials.

Of which I wish them Bon voyage.

If Merthyr could have converted the three decent chances they had - through Prosser, Traylor and Evans and had not keeper Will Dennis not have been so alive for the Adam Davies strike then the story may have been totally different.

But this season has been one of a combination of Kipling and a chain smoking Argentinean soccer manager Cesar Louis Menotti - for Manager Gavin Williams - one of many Ifs and butts.

But hey, our Club is still standing, despite being five figures in the red and is still capable of serving up golden moments ( and silver ones) and as long as players of the calibre of Traylor, Adam Davies and Ashley Morris remain on our pitch and are committed to the cause we shall overcome.

Where there's a Will there's a Way.

Or even a Tray?

Boz

Until then there's always our sense of humour to keep us entertained.

Click the link below for more Merth n Merriment.

https://americymru.net/americymru/blog/4876/dipping-your-wick

and as long as players of the calibre of Traylor, Adam Davies and Ashley Morris remain on our pitch and are committed to the cause we shall overcome.

I'm assuming you mean Ashley Evans?  

I think it was a Clement Freudian ( and Henry) slip

Good spot though Risca

Boz