What a shower!
By Steve Dadd & Pete Pavey

23rd October 2001

Weymouth made one change from the side that drew with Crawley at the weekend; Simon Browne replaced the injured Kevin Parker. Both the Rowbotham's were unavailable and so Mason, Bews and "Squirty" Hale sat on the bench.

A heavy rain was falling from the kick off as Lee Phillips surged down the right flank, Pat Mountain in the Newport goal dived at his feet, Lee (being a sporting chap) rode the tackle instead of diving for a penalty and had a shot from a tight angle, the ball whipped across the face of goal but no one was there to tap in.

Newport's Nathan Davies had a speculative shot from 20 yards after 4 minutes, Potter gathered easily. 

In the opening exchanges, Weymouth controlled the midfield with Deano and Curly, stroking the ball around with confidence, and when possession was lost, the whole team was terrier like in their efforts to regain the ball.

Ryan Cross carried on from his Crawley effort and was immense at the back, allowing Waldock and Alex to push forward at every opportunity, from one of Alex's surges up field he linked well with Mark Robinson, Curly ran to the by line, sent the ball in and Alex was there to steer his header goal wards, Mountain acrobatically fended off the ball for a corner.

Phillips had a cracking shot from 25 yards after being set free by Hutchinson, only Mountains efforts kept the scores level. 

As the rain continued to cascade around us, Potter was on hand to dive to his right to push a Matt Rose effort round the post.

Just after the quarter hour Rawlinson floated in a free kick from outside the area, Alex Browne rose above his marker but his header just flashed over.

Rawlinson who dominated the right flank, set up Robinson on 38 minutes, only a great covering tackle by Billy Clarke saved a certain goal. But it was certain a goal would come and it came on 43 minutes, Newport's Geoff Echardt just inside his half, dallied on the ball, with Laws bearing down on him he tried clearing his lines but the ball cannoned off the Weymouth goal machine, Lawsy raced away with the ball; with a posse of Newport defenders snapping at his heels he bore down on the left hand side of the area, Mountain had one eye on the charging Laws and one eye on the brigade of Terra's lining up for the tap in, Laws did the hard thing and chipped the big keeper.

So as the whistle went for half time, Weymouth went in one up, and the rain continued to pour.

With the playing surface holding up well considering the conditions, Weymouth carried on with playing the ball around, playing possession football and looking for the gaps, one appeared after 56 minutes, Laws put Phillips through, his 20 yard shot just skimmed the upright.

Right on the hour Newport's Echardt pushed a weak ball back to his keeper, in Bartez fashion Mountain stood amazed as Laws the predator whipped in to steal the ball, rounded the keeper and calmly stroked the ball home from an acute angle, the forty of so Weymouth faithful went mad, and still it rained.

Newport were awarded a penalty after 75 minutes, Martin Paul forged into the box but was hauled down by Cross, Waldock cleared the ball, and the referee waved play on. The ball was returned to Paul immediately, and in an action replay this time a more inoculose challenge by "Mad Dog" saw the burly ex Bath favourite crash to the floor writhing in agony as if hit by a stray American cruise missile. Realising that the ground was wet and he had got his penalty, he sprang to his feet to take the kick and sent Potter the wrong way.

As the rain continued, Newport threw everything at the visitors but with Waldock, the Browne brothers and Crossy standing firm it was all about counting off the minutes as the travelling Terras support shouted themselves hoarse.

At the final whistle jubilant Weymouth players, fans and directors celebrated, savouring the moment, enjoying the buzz and getting wetter.