Wessex Stadium Wednesday, July 16th, 2008   1st Team Friendly Attendance: 500         Weymouth 1-2 Bristol Rovers
2008 /09

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John Hollins was manager of weymouth at the time. WEYMOUTH MATCH REPORT Posted on: Wed 16 Jul 2008 Weymouth 1 Bristol Rovers 2 Twenty two of the players who travelled to the Wessex Stadium played 45 minutes of this opening pre season friendly, which saw Rovers win 2-1. The player to miss out was David Pipe, who broke his nose in training yesterday. Having fallen behind to a goal from Pierre Joseph-Dubois after 20 minutes, new signing Darryl Duffy scored an equaliser with three minutes of the first half remaining. Joe Jacobson netted a second half goal for Rovers to ensure a comfortable victory against a hard working Weymouth side, who created most of their chances during the opening period when they tested Steve Phillips on more than one occasion. The Blue Square Premier side seemed to tire after the break and, faced by an entirely different Rovers lineup, they posed much less of a threat and goalkeeper Mike Green didn't have a serious shot to save. Rovers lined up in a 4-4-2 formation for the opening period, with youngsters Charlie Reece and Tom Parrinello starting alongside many of last season's first team regulars, while new signing Darryl Duffy partnered Rickie Lambert up front. Former Rovers midfielder Ryan Williams lined up on the left of Weymouth's midfield quartet. The much travelled Kevin Sandwith supplied the evening's first shot, after four minutes, but his twenty yard effort sailed over the bar. Sean Rigg went close to giving Rovers the lead on eleven minutes. Played in by Duffy, he was denied a real shooting opportunity as keeper Danny Knowles smothered the ball at his feet and the loose ball was hacked away by Scott Doe. The home side, with the benefit of one friendly match already under their belt, passed the ball around well and took the lead on 20 minutes. Steve Phillips, who had safely held on to a through ball, threw his clearance straight to James Coutts who hit a first time shot against the bar and Pierre Joseph-Dubois was on hand to head home the rebound. The French striker almost added a second goal shortly afterwards, but headed over when well placed. At the other end, Lambert saw his shot blocked at the expense of a corner and Steve Elliott volleyed over the bar. Knowles prevented a Rovers equaliser just after the half hour mark, when he dived full length to beat away Lambert's ferocious 20 yard drive. However there was a let of for Rovers with eight minutes of the half remaining when Phillips rushed off his line to smother the ball at the feet of the impressive Dubois. Lambert then set up Rigg down the left and his cross found Duffy, though, who hit his shot wide of the target The new man wasn't to be denied a goal on his first appearance in a Rovers shirt and when Lambert, who had an impressive opening period, played him in with a delightful pass, the former Swansea man rolled the ball past Knowles for the equaliser. Phillips came to Rovers rescue again with two minutes remaining, when he dived full length to save a piledriver from Coutts. James Fraser, Alex Kite, Matt Groves and Jeff Hughes appeared for the second half in an entirely different lineup, and there was also a start for goalkeeper Mike Green. Rovers made a lively start, and Josh Klein-Davies went close with aqn angled drive which drifted just wide of the far post. A double substitution, on the hour mark, seemed to inject a little bit of spark into the home side and they went close to regaining the lead when a through ball cut open Rovers defence, allowing Anton Robinson to square the ball across goal for Dubois, but fortunately for Paul Trollope's side, the striker just failed to connect and the chance went begging. Shortly afterwards, Stuart Campbell saw his low free kick saved by Knowles at the near post. Andy Williams then played in Hughes and his diagonal pass found Klein-Davies, who might have made more of the shooting opportunity afforded him, but his hurried effort was wide of the mark. Joe Jacobson then tried his luck with a 25 yard free kick, but his curling effort was comfortably saved by Knowles and Rovers could have taken the lead with ten minutes remaining when Williams burst into the area ahead of his markers and rolled the ball agonisingly wide of the upright. Rovers took the lead for the first time with ten minutes remaining when Klein-Davies cut the ball back into the box from the left and Jacobson hit a first time shot past Knowles from 16 yards. Rovers (First Half): Steve Phillips, Aaron Lescott, Tom Parrinello, Chris Lines, Byron Anthony, Steve Elliott, Charlie Reece, Craig Disley, Rickie Lambert, Darryl Duffy, Sean Rigg Substitutes (Not used): Alex Kite, Mike Green, James Fraser Second Half: Mike Green, Alex Kite, James Fraser, Craig Hinton, Danny Coles, Matt Groves, Stuart Campbell, Andy Williams, Josh Klein-Davies, Jeff Hughes, Joe Jacobson Substitutes: Charlie Reece, Tom Parrinello Weymouth (Both halves): Danny Knowles, Scott Doe, Santos Gaia (Cameron Mawer, 60), Adam Bygrave, Kevin Sandwith, James Coutts, Anton Robinson, Joshua Webb (Sam Cutler, 60), Ryan Williams, Stuart Beavon (Ternu Agera, 84) Pierre Joseph-Dubois