For the first away day of a season in tropical temperatures, there aren’t many destinations to top Weymouth in the Vanarama National League South for Fleet fans as they prepare for another season on the road following their heroes.
And while the supporters will no doubt be making a full weekend of it in numerous cases, the job for Dennis Kutrieb and his side will be get in and get out with their target of three points and to then prepare straight away for another seaside safari at Eastbourne on Tuesday.
A busier opening league programme than last season may well play into the Fleet’s hands before the inevitable rigours of a season when injuries and suspensions kick in and the boss has numbers to choose from this coming week.
Jack Paxman is back in training after his pre-season injury at Chatham and there’s no doubting the strength in depth Kutrieb can call upon across this busy spell to come.
“I’m pleased at the moment because I’ve seen a very strong team performance and that’s all I’m looking for,” said the Fleet manager. “Everyone is on the front foot and that’s what I want to see. I don’t take anything from last week’s Weymouth game, we will see what happens but especially at the start of the season you need to make sure you are ready, regardless of who the opponent is. Playing at Weymouth and then Eastbourne three days later will be tough for us and that’s why we need to be 100%.”
The Fleet and Weymouth have a long but lately infrequent history with 65 previous meetings – but not a single one in the last 13 years. The Terras were the club the Fleet defeated in the final of the Southern League Cup in 1978 and they were also beaten en route to Wembley in our 2008 FA Trophy success. Our last meetings came in the Conference season of 2008/09, Fleet winning both by 1-0 at home and 2-0 away.
Despite the gulf in time since last we visited the Bob Lucas Stadium, it was one of Kutrieb’s first destinations as a manager in England when the Fleet won a pre-season friendly 1-0 during lockdown in summer 2020. Of those who played that day, Ben Chapman, Jack Paxman, Greg Cundle and Rakish Bingham will once again make the trip this weekend.
The current Weymouth will be something of an unknown quantity, having lost much of their squad following relegation in May. Out went two former Fleet players in Sean Shields and Tyler Cordner and there was a spell during the summer where news for Weymouth fans consisted largely of exits. Since then, former Oxford City manager David Oldfield has raided his old club to bring in defenders Harry Kyprianou and Dan Matsuzaka, both part of a mean Hoops back four over the past two years.
Others with former experience against the Fleet include ex-QPR U23 Nathan Carlyle, a one-time teammate of Franklin Domi, plus midfielder Luke Nippard from AFC Bournemouth who played for Eastbourne last season.
Up front, Weymouth have Claudio Ofosu – once of Hartlepool – who played against the Fleet in our FA Trophy exit to Royston Town in 2020. Bradley Ash is another familiar face having scored goals at this level for Weston-super-Mare and Chippenham Town, while Tom Bearwish is impressing since his move from Eastleigh last season.
Weymouth’s pre-season was impressive enough with four wins that included a 10-0 thrashing of Bridport and a 5-1 win at Weston-super-Mare. That was accompanied by two defeats on their travels at Poole Town and Frome Town.
But last week’s reverse at home to Tonbridge (in a game switched to Dorset due to the Angels’ pitch delays) will still be smarting and the Terras will be focused on pleasing their supporters at the second time of asking this weekend. Indeed they begin this season in the unique position of enjoying three home games and will seek to use that advantage as Fleet begin a week of travel.
Off the field, the club has just announced a shakeup at boardroom level, with chairman Ian White resigning, but supporters are getting behind a new-look squad and manager Oldfield will be looking to stamp his mark on the side with a full season ahead of him, much like the job he did at Oxford City up to the turn of the year.
• As with Fleet home games, Weymouth recommend buying online to avoid queues on the day but pay on the day is available. Buy a ticket online here or from the ticket office on the day, to be scanned through the turnstiles.
