Focus is on Ford ahead of Weymouth friendly (From Dorset Echo)

Focus is on Ford ahead of Weymouth friendly

8:35am Tuesday 7th February 2012 in Sport By Adam Summers

DEBUT: Ben Joyce

MARK Ford is expected to feature for the Terras in tonight’s friendly against Portland United at the Bob Lucas Stadium (7.45pm).

The sought-after striker is currently on the radar of most of the top clubs in the region but Weymouth appear to be leading the race to secure his signature.

Salisbury City, Dorchester Town, Wimborne Town and Poole Town have all shown interest in the hitman, who has shot to prominence this season with 35 goals in 22 appearances for his current club Blandford United.

Terras’ boss Brendon King told Echosport: “Mark has already received quite a few offers but I have spoken to him and he is coming down again tonight so we can have a look at him.

“He has already been training with us and he seems very keen to come here.

“The fact he has seen some of the lads progress through the reserves and into the first team has given him a lot of belief, particularly knowing that I have spent time in the Dorset Premier League and know what it takes for players to make the step up.

“Blandford are currently 11th in the DPL so the fact he has scored 35 goals already for them this season says an awful lot about his potential.

“He is quick and has a fantastic eye for goal, and if we could help him transfer those attributes to a higher level he could end up being a little gem.”

New-signing Ben Joyce is also expected to feature for Weymouth this evening along with James Coutts, whose loan move from AFC Totton is nearing completion.

King added: “Portland are a decent side so it should be a good workout.

“It will give Ben a chance to play alongside his new team-mates before a league match and it will also allow Couttsy to have a run out after not having many minutes of late.

“We are also still continuing talks with Crawley Town in regards to Byron Napper but nothing is likely to happen on that now until the end of the week.”

* George Rolls has told a Weymouth FC director that he has no interest in taking over at Kettering Town.

The Cambridge-based businessman, whose wife Amanda owns the Terras’ majority shareholding, continues to be heavily linked with the Poppies despite having claimed over the weekend that the Rolls family has no intention of leaving the Bob Lucas Stadium any time soon.

When asked for his thoughts on the speculation, Biddlecombe simply said: “George’s words to me yesterday morning were: ‘I am not looking to buy Kettering’.”