Monday 10th January 1983

IF EVER a team bowed out of the F.A. Cup with their heads high it was Weymouth. They earned respect and praise away to Second Division Cambridge United in the third round on Saturday.

Cambridge United manager John Docherty, Weymouth team boss Stuart Morgan, and Terras' chairman Alf Scource, all said so.

And so did the loyal and enthusiastic Weymouth fans, the majority whom arrived 23 minutes late after their Cup-tie Special train broke down at Hackney.

Morgan and his men came out of the match with credit after holding the Second Division team to a solitary goal in the 74th minute from 6ft. George Reilly.

It was just about his only chance, but he took it well to break the deadlock, chesting the ball down on the edge of the box, where he had been lurking, and bursting clear to give Weymouth goalkeeper Kieron Baker no chance.

But two Weymouth players in particular, midfielder Gary Borthwick and hard-working Billy Elliott will claim that the Terras were unlucky not to force a draw in the second half when they both had chances to score.

They both said: "We hit our shots too well!"

In practically the last tense minute, with Weymouth trying their hardest to pull the match out of the fire, the ball broke to Borthwick on the right of the box.

He immediately let fly with a shot which Malcom Webster, in the home goal, could only parry.

It was a fine shot and a fine save, but the ball was deflected straight to a grateful Cambridge defender, Chris Turner, who did not delay in clearing.

The ball could just as easily have gone in the direction of a Weymouth player in a packed goal area.

Borthwick said: "I was disappointed. If I had not connected so solidly and had not made such a good shot of it, I might have been there - instead of going straight at their keeper.

" For a moment I felt that I was going to make it and bring Cambridge back to the Rec for the replay we deserved."

Webster admitted that Borthwick could have been right. He had not seen much of the action until then, but he told me: "At that late stage I was worried. I came forward to narrow the angle, but I didn't see the ball until it hit my gloves.

"It came through a ruck of players, and if the ball and been miss-hit, as it often is in these situations, it would probably have beaten me. I agree with the Weymouth player. He did hid job, but hit shot too well. I was lucky to get away with it!"

OVER THE BAR

Elliot's chance came from about 18 yards in the 64th minute. Brain Benjafield laid the ball back, and Elliot blazed it first time just over the bar, with Webster looking relived.

A disappointed Eliott, who had played so well alongside skipper Paul Arnold to help hold the Football League men, told me: "I felt I had a good chance and really had a go.

"But that was the trouble. I hit my shot too well. I hit it so cleanly that it soared just a shade too straight over the bar. If I had not hit it so well, it might have been there!"

Morgan was justifiably pleased with his team's performance, particularly the way his players battled so give their fans something to enthuse over. "They can be proud of our performance," he said.

"We matched Cambridge for fitness and showed a lot of footballing ability as well. We never stopped trying. I was proud of the we played in defeat."

He was backed up by Docherty, who said: "Weymouth will not get the headlines, but they still deserve glory for the way they gave us such a good game.

I knew we were in for a hard game from a club with such a good record - and we got it. I was relived to hear the final whistle. It was all too close for comfort!"

PRESSURE

There were plenty of times when Weymouth - who were on a £100 win bonus for each player - were under pressure in a game which Cambridge, on their own ground, were entitled to be going forward and enjoying a lot of possession.

But never were the non-leaguers completely out of their depth. They showed their Second Division rivals that they were prepared to battle it out until the last breath.

With Elliott and Arnold working overtime to repel the aerial power of the tall Reilly and Joe Mayo, the rest of the side gallantly stuck to their task, chasing hard at every opportunity, and Weymouth did well to go in at the interval with the score-sheet blank.

Indeed, there was one moment when it had looked as though Borthwick might have given the Terras a shock interval lead - but he miskicked from the edge of the box.

Another of the Terras' heroes was Baker, just recovered from flu and with a temperature, only three days earlier, of 104. His experience showed through as he patrolled his area and pushed and fisted clear from the storm of Cambridge crosses.

HAMMERED

On to the second half, and the Terras were fortunate in 57th minute when Steve Spriggs hammered a shot against the bar.

But I felt sorry for Benjafield three minutes later when the referee ruled he had handled the ball and awarded Cambridge a penalty. The ball had come off the turf and I am sure there was no intent to handle on Benjafield's part.

Even Docherty said later: "It was a wee bit harsh. If it happened at the other end I would have been upset!"

But Weymouth had the man for the moment in Baker, who distinguished himself in making what I consider the best penalty save I have ever seen.

The ball was struck hard and low by Spriggs just inside a post, but Baker dived to the left to claw the ball aside in brilliant style. It deserved to have been a save which won the match.

But it was not to be, with Cambridge finally going ahead through Reilly late in the game at a time when everybody was thinking in terms of a replay at Weymouth.

It was not for the want of trying, however, on the part of non-stop Weymouth.

Over the final 20 minutes they surprised their opponents by the way they kept chasing, showing both fitness and not a little skill.

True, Paul Morrell rescued the Terras with a clearance from the line from Spriggs, but Webster did not look at all sure of himself in diving to reach a low shot from Trevor Finnigan, and I lost count of the number of corners Weymouth forced - as opposed to only one in the first half.

DEFIANT

Weymouth were defiant to the end, and Morgan summed up the mood when he later told his players: "Cambridge are at Chelsea next Saturday, while we play at Weston-Super-Mare in the F.A Trophy.

"But I am confident that we shall be starting off on another long unbeaten run - and Wembley might be a lot closer than many think."

Weymouth: Baker, Peter Morell, Paul Morrell, Elliott, Arnold, Finnigan, Baber, Pearson, Iannone, Borthwick, Benjafield.

Sub: Johnson

Cambridge United: Webster, Donaldson, Murray, Turner, Fallon, Spriggs, O'Neill, Cartwright, Sinton, Finney, Mayo, Lockhart.