Big guns collide (From Dorset Echo)

Big guns collide

8:40am Saturday 14th March 2009 in Sport By Dill Butcher

PREMIERSHIP giants the Duke of Albany and the Belvedere meet head on at Redlands tomorrow (10.30am) in what could prove to be the pivotal match in this year’s race for the title.

It will be the first league meeting between the two sides this season and the Duke will need to keep their four-game winning sequence going to stand any chance of making headway at the top of the table.

Luke Tomlin’s team currently lie just five points behind the second-placed Belve while leaders the Britannia hold a slim three-point lead at the summit having played four games more than both their nearest rivals.

Tomlin said: “We simply cannot afford to lose. If we win we will be right back in the hunt and I have full faith in my team to achieve this. We’ve been playing some quality football of late and this game has come just at the right time for us.”

The Park Street boys will be at full strength tomorrow with the exception of Mark Carter who misses out due to family commitments.

All three of the club’s Dorset Premier League players, Rob Sharpe, Liam Miles and Adam Linaker, are available but only two can start while Josh Burton (ankle) is likely to be fit enough to take his place in the side.

Dynamic midfielder Darren Samways plays his last game before a one-game ban and Jamie Spivey has fully recovered from a back complaint to bolster the bench.

But while the Duke are on a high after reaching the final of the Dorset Sunday Intermediate Cup last weekend, Belve boss Bobby Darch has the task of picking up his men who crashed out of the same competition at the hands of the Angel of Poole.

Darch said: “I’ve got a big task ahead to try and get the players’ heads up after that cup defeat – a game we deserved to win. This one is just as big a game though if we are to retain our title, and I’m sure the lads will rise to the challenge – we just need to take our chances this week.”

A huge boost for the champions could be the inclusion of a possible new signing in veteran Darren Whyton whose son Lewis remains on the inured list alongside Dan McDonald.

Apart from Whyton, Darch reports that tomorrow’s squad is likely to be the same as last weekend although the club has now lost the services of Gary Harvey to work commitments for the rest of the campaign.

Elsewhere in the top flight, the Lugger are in buoyant mood ahead of their clash with the Kingswood tomorrow at Redlands, not least because they finally recorded a league win for the first time since December 7 with their 7-4 defeat of AFC Black Dog last weekend.

However, boss Paddy Croxson knows the Wood will offer an entirely different test for his charges.

He said: “The Wood are the form team at the moment and it seems nobody wants to play them so we know we are in for a tough ride. However, we did take a point from them earlier in the season and I’m always confident of grabbing something with Jamie Morgan in the side.

“Since he rejoined us from Bridport he has boosted morale no end and he showed last time out what a quality player he is. On the downside we will probably be without the midfield pair of Lloyd Gilks and Port-land’s Richie Marshallsay tomorrow so Dean O’Callaghan and Ashley Scott are set for recalls. Richie Narramore may return from a four-month lay off which would be fantastic for us.”

The Wood are on a seven-game winning streak and have not been beaten since mid-November but despite their red-hot form they are very wary of the threat that the Lugger could pose.

Wood co-boss Jason Wellman said: “The Lugger held us to a 1-1 draw the last time we played them and they have also beaten the Rodwell and the Duke of Albany this season, and drawn with the Belve so make no mistake we are in for a very tough game.

“In our last three games we have not played at our best but done enough to win. We will need to do more than that tomorrow.”

Ian McDonald and Nick Ethering-ton are both unavailable for the Wood but experienced defender Brendan King should return.

Over at the Grove, Bobby Jones and Ben Simmonds return for Galaxy Windows who meet Queens Park Venue for the second week running in the Championship. Last Sunday the Portlanders came from a goal down to win 2-1 at the Marsh but the victory came at a price as Dan Sidwell – 13 goals in 16 appearances – suffered an ankle sprain and is likely to be missing for some time.

Another three points for Andy Barber’s side will keep them on top of the table ahead of the Chapelhay but the Galaxy boss is just concentrating on achieving one thing at a time.

He said: “More importantly we will then be just one win away from guaranteeing a top-three finish and automatic promotion.”

TOMORROW’S FIXTURES (all 10.30am) Weymouth Sunday League Premiership: AFC Black Dog v Tuatara (Marsh), Duke of Albany v Belvedere (Redlands), Kingswood v Lugger (Redlands), Rendezvous v George, Portland (Redlands), Rodwell v Britannia (Marsh).

Championship: Alex v Chapelhay (Budmouth), Dorothy v Market House (Budmouth), Galaxy Windows v Queens Park Venue (Grove), Golden Lion v George, Dorchester (Marsh), Rock v Old Castle (Budmouth), Southill v Clean Connections (Marsh).

n Games featuring AFC Black Dog and Southill are late venue changes.