12th Novemeber 2003

Weymouth needed extra time to find a way past tenacious Taunton in the second round of the Dr Martens League Cup at the Wessex Stadium last night.

The Terras, showing half a dozen changes from the line-up which swept Merthyr aside at the weekend to go top of the Premier Division, called in the cavalry after a tedious opening 90 minutes finished at 1-1.

Manager Steve Claridge, who spent most of the match watching from the directors box in the stand, came on to liven up his shot-shy attack - but it was midfielder Mark Robinson who finally broke Taunton's hearts and their dogged resistance with a goal of the season contender.

Four minutes into extra time he took possession just inside the Taunton half and, as the tiring visitors defence backed off, he strode forward to get the ball on to his right foot before lashing it into the top corner of Paul Edwards' net from nearly 30 yards.

It was a taste of what the Terras could be missing for a month if his planned loan to Salisbury goes ahead.

Three minutes later Ian Hutchinson's cross provided Lee Phillips with his third headed goal in two games and the Terras were left to indulge in a keep-ball session for the remaining 20 minutes as the leg weary visitors chased shadows.

Both sides had goalmouth escapes in the first ten minutes with the industrious Kevin Gill clearing off the Terras line from Gary Fisher and veteran former Liverpool defender Alex Watson, once a target for Dorchester, repeating the feat at the other end to deny Phillips.

When Edwards came way out to head clear in the 23rd minute, Phillips picked the ball up 40 yards out and his astute lob was heading for an empty net when a retreating Tom Kelly rescued his keeper with a back header over his own bar.

But generally it was turgid stuff with little goalmouth incident until Taunton's prolific goalgetter Anthony Lynch escaped the clutches of central defenders Mark Kenway and Nathan Walker for one of the few times in the game on 34 minutes.

Mark Foster nodded the ball down to him and from just outside the area, Lynch struck a dipping volley over Jason Matthews' head.

The lead lasted just five minutes before on-loan Tim Clancy, making his Wessex debut in an unfamiliar right midfield slot, won a free-kick on the flank. Lee Philpott whipped the kick in towards the near post and Simon Browne ducked forward to get in front of his marker and send a glancing header past Edwards.

Lynch was close to putting the Western Division side in front again early in the second half, his close range prod striking Kenway with Matthews beaten, but with the Terras seeing more and more of the ball it seemed only a matter of time before Taunton cracked.

However Scott Partridge, Kenway and substitute Leon Green all passed up chances to spare the restless crowd another 30 minutes and when Claridge finally decided enough was enough he had too little time to avoid the extra time.

But once Robinson came up with the goods in the 94th minute there was no way back for Taunton.