THE weather has temporarily knocked back Weymouth’s hopes of signing striker Danny Mills on loan from Championship club Peterbor-ough United.

Terras’ manager Ian Hutchinson and assistant Andy Mason were set to travel to United’s London Road home on Wednesday night to watch the 6ft 4in target man play in a reserve game.

However, Posh’s Football Combination East Division fixture at home to Stevenage Borough Reserves fell victim to the weather, temporarily postponing Hutchinson’s pursuit of the striker.

“Me and Mase were going to travel up to Peterborough on Wednesday but unfortunately that was called off,” said Hutchinson. “It’s been put on hold because I don’t want to go in blind.

“I’ve had a few lengthy chats about the lad and we also want to cast our eyes over him.

“We have been talking to a few players in the last few days but they don’t grow on trees and it’s not as simple as picking the phone up and choosing one.”

As exclusively revealed in Echosport last week, Weymouth were trailing a forward currently plying his trade at a Championship club.

And 18-year-old Mills, who is seen as a big part of Posh’s future, is the man the Terras want to bolster their frontline options on a loan deal.

“We are striving to get the right people into the football club and this particular deal is not dead in the water,” added Hutchinson. “We’ve got to be sensible in what we do and it was an ideal opportunity to see him on Wednesday. If we had liked what we saw then it would have been a done deal.”

In the meantime Weymouth have to focus on tomorrow’s game with high-flying Chelmsford City, which is set to go ahead at the Wessex Stadium at 3pm.

Recent icy weather has begun to thaw, meaning there is fear of the pitch being waterlogged, but Hutchinson is confident the game will go ahead as long as there is not too much rain before then.

Should the Blue Square South fixture take place, the Terras’ manager has warned his side that they must start better than they did after their last two-week gap without a game.

On that day they found themselves 3-0 down at half-time against Braintree Town and even a magnificent second-half fight back could not repair the damage.

“We are desperate to play the game,” said Hutchinson. “Chelmsford are in the FA Trophy on Monday so it’s a good time to play them because they will have one eye on that.

“But we have to do what we do and make sure we start properly, right from that first whistle.

“Our poor start at Braintree gave us a mountain to climb because we didn’t get out of the blocks.”

Jordan Rose is expected to return to the squad after suspension, but will probably have to settle for a place on the bench as Weymouth are expected to name the same starting line up for the third game in a row.

Terras (from): Harrison, McGuinness, Bennett, Brice, Slocombe, Groves, Reed, Allen, Radcliffe, Llewellyn, Joseph-Dubois, Frampton, Harris, Rose, Dixon, Foster, Byfield.

* The Terras will sport a new kit tomorrow after new shirt sponsors Weyline agreed to have their logo emblazoned on the front in a deal that will last until the end of next season.