Dream Start, Nightmare Ending
by Steve Dadd & Pete Pavey

13th October 2002

Weymouth’s patched up side travelled to Tiverton Town in this third qualifying round of the FA Cup. 

Without Browne, Bradford, Waldock and Dean along with injury carrying Simon Browne, Mark Kenway, Mark Robinson and Julian Charles, Lee Phillips iced the cake turning up with flu.

Weymouth had a dream start in the lush green playing surface of Ladysmead, within a minute of the kick off Lee Phillips was bought down on the edge of the area, Ryan Ashford stepped forward and curled the ball around the wall and into the back of the net, the seaside support were in ecstasy.

Weymouth pushed Tiverton onto the back foot for the first quarter of an hour with Robinson joining Charles and Phillips up front. With 13 minutes on the clock, Phillips latched onto a poor clearance, but his shot was scuffed and Collis gathered easily. The large visiting support cheered the Terras on. In the bright warm October sunshine was this going to be just another perfect day?

The Terras were brought back down to earth on 34 minutes. They had rode the Tiverton storm and were supposedly sailing into calmer waters when Jason Rees was allowed far too much space down the left flank, his cross was left by Ashford at the near post, Matthews was unsighted as the ball whipped past, and there was Peters at the back post to bundle the ball over. Matthews went berserk and Simon Browne had to keep him from throttling the former Saints player.

Weymouth, although controlling the midfield, lacked the crisp, confident manner going forward that was typical of Tiverton's play and, with Charles drifting out of the game and Sajic all at sea, Weymouth went behind just before the break. Weymouth’s right hand side failed to cut out an Ovens run, his cross was hit long, Winters headed the ball back, the visitor's Simon Browne misjudged his header and nodded the ball into his own net.

So at half time the score was: Tiverton Town 2 Weymouth 1

Steve Tully was booked for a foul on Danny Holloway and Tivvy got themselves a cushion on 53 minutes. Using the left channel, Pears beat Robinson, raced to the by-line, and crossed the ball. With static Weymouth defending and Matthews flapping, Peters was stationed at the far post to prod home.
Tiverton took their foot off the gas and allowed the Terras some space to play. Whiteman came on for Ashford as Geoff Butler pushed more men into attack. Robinson threw Weymouth a lifeline on 69 minutes. He weaved his way to the byline and clipped his cross over the keeper's head for Whiteman to get a flying foot to at the far post. 

Game on!! errrr not.

From the restart Tiverton immediately pushed the ball along the left flank, again an unchallenged cross, again static defending, again a yellow shirt, this time Nancekevill was there to chest the ball in.

Weymouth upped the Tempo, the hard working Whiteman danced into the box and unleashed a good shot at Collis, he parried the ball as far as Charles who blasted the ball goalwards but it was blocked, the ball came back to him, he shot again, but this time Collis held onto the ball.

The tireless Robinson worked his way into the box and laid the ball back to Tully, his screamer of a shot hit the crossbar on 76 minutes. Spencer replaced the limping Robinson on 78 minutes and that to be honest was that. Tiverton toyed with the Terras letting them run at the solid yellow wall as the clock ran down and Weymouth’s cup dream had ended for another year.