Next Match – Weymouth – Home
Following the postponement of Saturday’s match, City will be looking forward to getting back into action when they welcome old rivals and friends Weymouth to Twerton Park on Tuesday evening.
The Terras have returned to this level after two difficult seasons in the National League and have so far found it difficult to adjust. They currently lie at the very foot of the table with just two points gained from their seven matches.
Of particular concern must be the fact that five of those have been played at home with just a goalless draw against ten men Hemel Hempstead last Saturday to show for their efforts. Away from the Bob Lucas Stadium they have lost at Chelmsford and drawn at Hungerford.
The two clubs go back a long way with the first of their 106 meetings in the league played on Christmas Day 1908 when Edward VII was on the throne and Herbert Asquith was prime minister. Those early meetings in Bath were played at the Belvoir Ground and then Lambridge with Twerton Park first welcoming The Terras in 1950. In 42 matches played here City have won 20 and only lost one of the last 14.
The last of those was in March 2020 with ourselves and newly promoted Weymouth both enjoying successful campaigns. This was in fact the final home fixture in that curtailed season before we played Dorking some months later in the play offs. A crowd of 1902 saw a tight encounter with both defences excelling in a 0-0 draw. Unfortunately Joe Raynes sustained a serious injury in the match which saw him out of action for some seventeen months.
Weymouth ended the curtailed season one place above us in third and went on to defeat Dartford on penalties in the play off final. Progressing to the National League they managed to finish in 18th position but their second season sounded as difficult as City’s ten years previously and only Dover finished below the Dorset club as their short stay at that level ended.
Although few of the Weymouth squad will be familiar to City fans, we have crossed paths with their manager as David Oldfield was formerly in charge at Oxford City before making the move to the south coast last January. He had previously enjoyed a successful paying career and his many clubs included Leicester, Luton and Peterborough.
Tickets for Tuesday’s match can be bought in advance from the Club’s website.
