Match Report: Nil by Mouth

Weymouth 0-0 Uxbridge

Four seasons ago there were three divisions between Weymouth & Uxbridge, the fact they were facing each other in a league match on Saturday, says a lot about their respective fortunes in recent seasons. However this wasn't a game that will live long in the memory, as the two sides- neither of whom have been in the best of form of late - played out something of a stalemate at the impressive Bob Lucas stadium on Saturday.

Uxbridge had bought in attacking left back Cam’ron Ismail, from the Arsenal youth setup on a one-month loan, we would have to wait to see if we had snapped up the next Bukayo Saka though, as he started on the bench. Massimo Giammattei, Jo Lawal & Liam Prior Tack came into the side, following Tuesday's home reverse to Sholing.

The match started with Uxbridge actually on the front foot, and they had a gilt edged chance on 3 minutes, as the ball fell invitingly to Nams Nwachucku at he back post, but he couldn't keep his shot down and the ball sailed high over the bar. Nwachuku was at the heart of things again on 10 minutes, as he broke clear and rounded Ben Clark in the home goal, only to find two defenders in the way to block his shot, as well as the rebound, and the chance was lost. Weymouth had a couple of long range efforts comfortably dealt with by Rhys Forster in the Reds goal. There was one more chance for the visitors right before the break though as Nwachuku again did well to get some space in the box, but this time his low shot was blocked by Clark's legs, and it was all square at the break.

HT 0-0

The first twenty minutes of the second half, carried on in the same vein as the end of the first, with neither side able to exert any sustained pressure. Uxbridge though created two good chances midway through the half. Firstly on 67 minutes a ball across the box fell invitingly for Liam Prior Tack, who hit a fine volley that evaded Clark, but dropped just over the bar - rippling the wrong side of the net. Then Nwachuku again got clear of the defence, as Clark came out to meet him, the Uxbridge forward got a connection on the ball, but it ricocheted off the keeper, and with a combination of defenders the ball was scrambled clear. It looked for all the world like the game would drift to a 0-0 draw, but with eight minutes remaining the home side were given a golden opportunity to take the points. A free kick was awarded wide on the left hand side of the Uxbridge box - in fact the travelling Red Army thought a penalty had been awarded to begin with - however the relief did not last long as the free kick was fired in, it struck an Uxbridge arm - and a spot kick was indeed the result. Weymouth Captain Tom Bearwish stepped up, only to find Forster in the Uxbridge goal equal to the kick, with a fine save to his right, to preserve the status quo. Forster was again on hand to deny Bearwish four minutes later, with a fine save at the near post, as the Weymouth man tried to make amends. There was time for a couple of dangerous late free kicks for Uxbridge, but neither amounted to anything and The Reds travelled back from Dorset with their first point in 3 games.

Next Up the runaway league leaders Walton & Hersham will be the visitors to Honeycroft on Saturday 6 December

FT 0-0

Att 679

Uxbridge: Forster, Brown, Giamattei, Fearn, Stepney, Nnadozie, Lawal (Hobbs), Prior-Tack, (Ismail) Nwachuku, Okorogheye (Bailey), Hector (Keita)

Match Gallery here courtesy of Emma Neumann-Russell