Head-to-head
10:05am Friday 18th July 2008
NEW signing Chris McPhee is expected to have his first run out in a Weymouth shirt at the Jewson Stadium tomorrow when the Terras travel to local rivals Dorchester Town (3pm).
The 25-year-old, who scored the winner for Ebbsfleet United in their FA Trophy final victory over Torquay United at Wembley, joins up with his new team-mates today and manager John Hollins is looking forward to seeing his acquisition in action.
McPhee's late arrival for pre-season training is down to his involvement in England C's successful Four Nations campaign in May and the fact he recently got married.
Hollins said: "Chris is in today and I am looking forward to seeing how he fits in with the rest of the squad. I can see no reason why he cannot be involved tomorrow and all being well he will get 20 or 30 minutes."
Hollins will also run the rule over trialists Anthony Mason and Andy Taylor tomorrow. He added: "Mason is a centre forward from Plymouth Argyle while Taylor is a midfielder from Exeter City.
"We are looking at things game by game at the moment and putting people in to see how they perform, and I am pleased with how things are shaping up."
The Terras impressed in a 2-1 loss against Coca-Cola League One side Bristol Rovers on Wednesday and Hollins is expecting his men to face another stern test at Dorchester.
He said: "I was delighted with how we did the other night and I think the supporters were pleased to.
"We looked really sharp and put some good moves together against a strong side that are two divisions above us but tomorrow will be a different game again.
"Dorchester will not hold off us while we have got the ball like Bristol Rovers did. Instead it will be more like a Conference game but we will handle that.
"Santos Gaia took a blow to the head on Wednesday and we ended up taking him off as a precaution but I fully expect him to be involved tomorrow along with the rest of the squad."
Magpies' manager Shaun Brooks is also looking forward to seeing his side step up their pre-season preparations after three wins against Wessex League opposition.
He said: "It should be a decent game. They're at a similar stage in their preparations as us and they had a good workout against Bristol Rovers on Tuesday so I'm sure they'll give us a good workout tomorrow.
"In previous games we've seen a lot of the ball and we've been on top of teams but against Weymouth we will be stepping up a level and I feel it's the right time to do so, it'll be a far stiffer test."
Jamie Gleeson, Nathan Peprah-Annan and Tom Mitchell are all carrying slight knocks so are unlikely to play.
But Brooks, whose side play their first home game of pre-season, will continue to run the rule over several trialists while hoping to bring in a new keeper for the derby clash.
He added: "We will be looking at certain players again and I'm hoping to have another keeper come down for the game. We've also got to be aware of the fact that we have a tough game at home to Portsmouth on Monday. Two games in three days is hard work at the best of times let alone now."
A number of trialists, including striker Leon Osei, midfielder Bill Puckett and ex-Magpie defender Michael Walker, all featured in a youthful Dorchester XI that drew 0-0 at Wessex League outfit Shaftesbury on Wednesday night.
Brooks though, will wait to speak to chairman Eddie Mitchell, who returns from Dubai tomorrow, before making a decision on those hoping to earn a deal with the county town club.
Dorchester (from): Hutchings, Jermyn, Smeeton, Marsh-Brown, Walker, Browne, O'Brien, Bowles, Liburd, Gill, Clay, Nicholson, Watts, Hill, Crittenden, Puckett, Aujla, Akim, Forbes, Osei, Mudge, Moss, Morgan.
Weymouth: (from): Knowles, Horsell, Beale, Mawer, Doe, Bygrave, Santos Gaia, Sandwith, Ironside, Webb, Robinson, Williams, Coutts, Cutler, Tribe, Frampton, Reiffer, Beavon, Joseph-Dubois, Agera, McPhee, Mason, Taylor, Biles.