Setanta Shield

I think somebody mentioned (maybe earlier in this thread) that Aldershot used a "weaker" team in the shield.

As far as I am concerned nothing compares to getting promoted, and would be gutted if we missed out again this season, however, there seems to be a different mentality at the club this time around.......reading the match report on .com makes for some interesting reading.

The wingers switched again during the game causing confusion to the Weymouth full backs, we have a midfield pairing that complement each other well (and this was something we were lacking last season) and a very talented player in Nicky Wroe, who "pulled the strings" in midfield tonight.

We seem to be playing to the players strengths, and not adapting out game to accomodate any particular player, and this is a huge bonus this time around, and has given the players a new found confidence.......Woods seems to be a player reborn at the moment on current form, and you would never have thought that Hargreaves was really as old as he is.

It is a new dawn at Plainmoor at the moment, there is a sense of togetherness within the squad - all of which is good signs for us supporters that maybe this IS OUR year!!

Can't disagree with those views Scott and Its so good to feel the positivity coming from all the fans, how things change In football In such some spaces Of time.

Lets hope this really will be our year, we do deserve It to be as the quality fans we have shown that we are.

What a thoroughly enjoyable game and a well deserved victory that could easily have been 4 or 5 nil.
Its a bit late to do a match report now, but just a couple of observations and answers to a few of the questions put up on here tonight;

I was surprised initially when PB fielded such a strong side, with the only change from Saturday being Brough replacing Charran on the bench. My own take on it is that the lesson learnt from last year is if you take your foot off the gas, its very hard to get back up to speed again, so better to let momentum continue.

Whilst i hear the argument for burn out for Wroe & in particular Hargreaves, but no need to worry about the toll this game took on them, training would have taken more out of them than tonight. They were sublime, literally a 'walk in the park' they were so dominant, so in control that they barely broke sweat. The ball did all the work, Wroe's passing is consistently quite breathtaking.

Carayol was outstanding, Man of the match, and had the beating of his man, and usually the next, at will. He set up the first and third goals by beating his man and getting a pinpoint cross over for Sills, then Benyon to score and was unlucky not to curl one into the top corner himself after beating two more. He is getting better each game. The coaching is obviously working wonders and also where/how did Buckle find him??

Bevan didn't appear to be carrying an injury, mind you he only had 1 save to make. He also impresses me, its his presence, he just looks and feels right. I am edging towards him now as the preferred option, especially on this unbeaten run, with the old adage, 'if it ain't broke...' He is another one who appears to be enjoying his football. He shared a few jokes and laughs with us during the first half. Once again he came out early for the second half and had 10 minutes extra 'training/warming up' with Kenny Veysey.

This was little more than a training exercise as we were so in control. They played some quality football, often stringing together half a dozen passes, like i said before the ball did all the work, not the players. Some teams play a lot of football with little penetration,Stevenage springs to mind, but tonight we played football and penetrated at will.

I know Weymouth started with a slightly weaker side and put a couple of their usual starters on the bench and that it was 'only' the Setanta Shield but this was another commanding and dominating performance.

The best thing about it for me was the Players have that confident look about themselves, they look like they are enjoying their football, they are relaxed and have a certain swagger about them, they believe in themselves. None more so than Nicky Wroe.

Whilst initially slightly skeptical about putting out such a strong side and then maybe leaving it maybe 10 minutes to late to make the last substitutions, i have to say PB's decisions were/are fully justified. Lets do whatever it takes to keep this run going. The players/squad is benefiting from it.

All in all an excellent nights work. Bring on Evesham, and the next team and so on.....

a couple of other things;

Crowd was given as 621, there were about 60/70 of us.

Best dressed man; Paul Buckle who looked well dapper in a smart new suit, complete with neck scarf, ala Paul Tisdale.

Can we have that ref every game?? He gave us everything. I was at the other end but it looked like Sillsy caught the ball and dropped kicked it into the the top corner, and that was seconds after Thompson used his hands to thwart a Weymouth attack, much to the annoyance of the home 'crowd'. We will take it though, as its 'evens itself out over the course of the season' !!!

You could have guessed we'd get FGR. I don't think this competition has a draw as such - it seems to just pair local teams.