'Get rid quick' motto a bad one
By Terrier

ONE defensive.error and this game, which rarely rose to any great heights, was as good as over. That mistake came in the first minute of the second half - and it sealed Weymouth's fate.

Knight, Oxford's fast, dangerous outside-right, hit one of his innumerable centres into Weymouth's penalty area. Hobson and Sheppard raced over to clear the danger, crashed into each other, and as they struggled to their feet equally lethal outside-left Love rocketed a tremendous drive past Bly.

That made it 3-1 and secured the points-the fourth goal really didn't matter. But until that 48th minute Weymouth had been in with a chance.

True they had never looked the equals of the champions, but they never gave up trying and r always felt they might have done the, Impossible.

THE BETTER SIDE

Not that Weymouth gave up the ghost after that goal, they certainly did not. But from that point Oxford gained control of the game which fizzled out as a spectacle with long periods spent in uninspiring midfleld play.

But really, despite Weymouth's plucky fight, there was no other result for the game.

Oxford were-as the Terras freely admitted afterwards-just the better side. They were stronger, faster and possessed far more punch.

That punch came directly from wingers Knight and Love. Both were fast and direct, and always ready for a bang at goal, and both fell back into their own territory to link brilliantly with their halves to turn defence into menacing attacks in a flash.

Perhaps it will serve as an object lesson to Weymouth.

This pair's value to Oxford was easy to see. Apart from the goal Love scored himself from Knight's pass, he or Knight were directly responsible for the other by Houghton (2) and Willey.

Weymouth, I am afraid, had nothing to match them.

Their attacks lacked penetration and method. Constant use of square passes allowed the strong home defence, who had conceded only 19 goals in 17 matches, too much time to cover up and the defence's task was eased still further by some appallingly inaccurate passing.

One thing accounted for the lack of planning about the attacks - the absence of Cliff Nugent.

They had no forward willing to hold the ball while his colleagues moved into posistion - the motto of the day was 'Get rid quick' and it was a bad one.

Nugent's deputy, Wright, tried hard, but he will be the first to admit that he is not a ball-playing inside-forward. Wing-half is his position.

Despite this lack of penetrative power, Weymouth made Oxford fight all the way for their victory and twice near the end Fogg, who midway through the first half scored an opportunist goal, and O'Farrell, were foiled of goals they deserved by brilliant saves by Cullen.

OXFORD GO TOP

Although they conceded four goals Weymouth defence came out of the game well.

Hobson, in particular, shone against the high-scoring centre-forward Houghton. Full-backs Sheppard and Stocker, were also by no means out of it against Love and Knight, while wing-halves Anderson and O'Farrell kept trying to get forwards working effectively.

This result took Oxford to the top of the table on goal average - and meant Weymouth have still gained only two points away from home this season.