Brothers will line-up against each other in Trophy semi-final

8:30am Friday 12th March 2010

By Derek Bish

BROTHERLY love will go out the window, as will many other friendships, when two of Weymouth’s leading sides go head-to-head in the semi-finals of the Dorset Senior Trophy tomorrow (2.30pm).

Weymouth Sports’ goalkeeper Tony Wyatt will line up opposite brother Chris when Weymouth College hosts Sports’ semi-final tie with Upwey & Broadwey.

Both teams still have aspirations to be crowned Dorset Senior League champions, but will put their fight for that trophy behind them in pursuit of cup glory this weekend.

Upwey manager Steve Reynolds said: “It is two local sides, everyone knows everyone, you have got mates playing against each other and the Wyatt brothers in two different squads.

“I’ve got a lot of admiration for Weymouth Sports because they have established themselves in and around the top of the Dorset Senior League.

“We are aspiring to be the next Weymouth Sports because you have to look up to them, but we are just the pretenders at the moment, we haven’t made it yet.”

Ex-Sports man Jimmy Hallett is cup-tied while Sam Purnell is to miss the rest of the season through injury, but Steve Coombes and Richie Frost return to the Upwey squad.

Sports’ boss Steve Alcock encouraged anyone wanting to watch a game tomorrow to pay a trip to at Cranford Avenue.

“It’s absolutely huge,” said Alcock. “It’s a one-off cup game so anything can happen and both teams will be aching to make it to the final for the chance to get some silverware – that’s why we play the game after all.

“It’s Upwey’s first season in the division – they are going really well and full of confidence so we will have to be at our best if we’ve got ideas of grandeur.”

Sports (from): Wyatt, Wallis, Hicks, Pattison, Alcock, Nicholson, Lane, Cleal, Dixon, MacConnachie, Rolls, Cole, Walker, Laidlow, De La Planque, Austin, Green, Bickerstaff, Thoday.

Upwey (from): Coltart, Porteous, Crawford, Anderson, McLucas, Pearce, Zima, Jarvis, Wyatt, Samways, Young, Aplin, Coombes, Frost.

n Easton United go into their Dorset Senior League match at AC Matravers tomorrow (3pm) hoping to pick up three points ahead of next week’s top-of-the-table encounter with Witchampton United.

With Upwey & Broadwey and Wey-mouth Sports in Dorset Senior Trophy action, it also represents a chance for Chris Wilson’s second-placed side to open up a healthy gap over the rest of the chasing pack.

“We want to go into the Witches game on a good run but every team we play against we have to treat as the same,” said boss Wilson. “Whether it’s a local game or away at AC Matravers, three points is the minimum requirement.”

Rory Palmer and Sam Akoknia are doubts but Bryn Lewis could come back into the squad.

Easton (from): Rutland, Akoknia, Squibb, Oldrid, Williams, Kelly, A Skelton, B Skelton, Palmer, Burch, Chance, Burley, Carlile, Hayes, Lewis.