Reserves get reality check after defeat (From Dorset Echo)

Reserves get reality check after defeat

8:30am Friday 19th March 2010 in

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WEYMOUTH Reserves’ boss Dave Kiteley offered no excuses for his side’s sobering defeat on Wednesday night and hopes the result will act as a reality check.

Two second-half strikes were enough for an impressive Westland Sports outfit to claim maximum Dorset Premier League points under the Wessex Stadium’s floodlights.

Seven of the Terras’ starting line-up had featured for the first team on Saturday but failed to get out of first gear on their return to step-seven football.

The visitors controlled proceedings from the outset and made a deserved breakthrough on 71 minutes when a rapid counter-attack resulted in the ball being slotted past Mike Neish.

Weymouth never looked like equalising and their abject evening was complete in stoppage time as Westland notched their second goal. Although Kiteley lambasted his own troops, he was magnanimous in defeat and offered Westland high praise by describing their performance as “outstanding”.

The Terras’ supremo said: “I’m not going to defend the lads after our display because we were poor across the whole team and beaten by a much superior side on the night.

“But I don’t want to take anything away from Westland because they were outstanding and, on that performance, are the best team I’ve seen this season.

“Their work-rate was phenomenal and they were intelligent in possession, whereas we lacked quality and were second best throughout.

“For whatever reason we just didn’t compete and the only good thing to come out of the match is the players have been brought back down to Earth with a bump.

“I wouldn’t say they were complacent because I’ve worked with them all season and know what they are like. It was just one of those nights when we weren’t at the races at all.”

Weymouth, who have dropped one place to seventh in the standings, welcome high-flying Holt United to the Wessex Stadium tomorrow (3pm).

A youthful side comprising mainly of the club’s under-18s looks set to be fielded, since many of those who appeared against Westland should travel with the first team to Chelmsford City.

Kiteley is to assume dugout duties at Chelmsford, which means Nick Bennett and Gareth Roberts will take temporary charge of the second-string.

Terras: Neish, Tribe, Vincent, Walker, Dixon, Rosario, McKechnie (Sibley 70), Reiffer, Evans, Farrell (Richardson 46), Min Kim.