Buckle and
Ramos lead Terras to glory
by David Swain
Monday 04 October 2004
WEYMOUTH are in today's draw for the Third Qualifying Round
of the FA Cup thanks to skipper Paul Buckle and debutant keeper
Francisco Ramos.
Buckle landed the Terras a £3,750 jackpot when he crashed
home the only goal from close in after 54 minutes to settle
a knifeedge tie after the visitors' new
Portuguese stopper had kept the Magpies at bay with a string
of first half saves.
Mark Morris's side had worked like Trojans to counter-act the
Terras extra quality, but after Buckle's goal they seldom looked
like breaking down Weymouth's
defence in which sweeper Steve Tully was outstanding.
Striker Lee Phillips didn't even make the Terras subs' bench
after a test on his injured knee and with Jason Matthews left
out of the squad entirely, there was no place in Claridge's
starting line-up either for Robbie Pethick, Paul Gibbs or
Nathan Bunce.
Ex-Terra Paul Myers was Dorchester's substitute keeper following
the sale of Mark Ormerod to Worthing and they were without the
injured Andy Harris and suspended Spanish striker Juan Ugarte.
The Terras had a strong wind at their backs in the first half,
but it was Dorchester who started the brighter with Mark Robinson
prominent in several early breaks
down the left flank.
Twice inside the first five minutes the ex-Terra whipped in
crosses that were cleared with little conviction and then Justin
Keeler belted a left foot special that was well blocked by Dave
Waterman.
Then Jamie Brown pulled away from goal to get his head to Joseba
Barandiaran's free-kick but could only send his header over
the bar from eight yards.
After little attacking intent from the Terras they were within
a whisker of taking the lead after 14 minutes.
Threaded
Chukki Eribenne won a left wing corner and then got on the end
of Martin Barlow's kick to glance a super header against the
face of Craig Bradshaw's crossbar.
Back came Dorchester with Barandiaran's through pass setting
up a chase between Matt Groves and Ramos.
The advancing keeper just got there first, but his clearance
fell straight to Keeler who held his head in his hands as his
snatched volley flew over an open goal.
When Barandiaran then threaded another great ball through to
Robinson, he cut in on the angle and Ramos came sliding out
to block his shot with his legs.
At the other end Bradshaw also used his legs to good effect
to stop Lee Charles after the home defence had failed to clear
a corner and the goalkeeper had another heart-stopping moment
when he spilled a centre from Lee Philpott and had to react
quickly to grab the ball in a crowded goalmouth.
Good inter-play between Groves and Barandiaran then set up Robinson
for a shot which he sliced well wide before Ramos made his save
of the match on the half hour.
Keeler smacked a sweet left footer from 25 yards with plenty
of swerve and an airborne Ramos just managed to get one hand
to the shot high to his right and probably intended to flick
it over the bar.
Instead the ball flew back into play but Brown, with the goal
at his mercy, fired
hastily over the top.
Simon Radcliffe joined in the onslaught and played a neat one-two
with Mark Jermyn - making his 200th appearance for the Magpies
- before firing in another pile-driver.
This time Ramos achieved his aim with a spectacular tip-over.
It was Ramos to the rescue again in the 41st minute when Keeler's
lobbed pass set up another race between Groves and the keeper.
This time Groves got to the bouncing ball a split second before
Ramos flattened him a yard inside the area but, as the ball
rolled just wide, Dorchester's penalty appeals went unheeded
by ref Laver.
In a rare Terras attack Eribenne ran clear to net from a Claridge
through ball only to be given offside and, as the Terras started
the second half with a lot more purpose, he drove straight at
Bradshaw after a free-kick from Barlow skidded
towards goal off Radcliffe's head.
Charles had already turned an islolated Radcliffe inside-out
without profit on one occasion before engineering the breakthrough
nine minutes into the second period.
His deft footwork beat the Magpies full back again and this
time he played in Claridge on the right.
He drilled the ball low across the middle and with Dorchester's
back pedaling defence caught flat footed, Buckle charged forward
to ram home from close range.
Adam Wilde should have sewn it up for the Terras, twice failing
to make anything of good crossfield balls from Charles and then
driving into the side-netting after an advancing Bradshaw parried
from Eribenne in a one-on-one clash.
Morris threw on subs Warren Byerley for Barandiaran to go with
three attackers for the last half hour, but with the confident
Terras now monopolising possession they only once went close
to taking the tie to a replay.
Groves made ground down the right before squaring for Robinson
whose shot was well blocked by Ramos.
The ball came back into play but again the keeper's luck held
as Byerley's attempt to rap in the rebound sent the ball a foot
wide of the upright.
Weymouth: Francisco Ramos, Steve Tully, Simon Browne,
Martin Barlow, Dave Waterman, Lee Charles, Paul Buckle, Chukki
Eribenne, Steve Claridge, Lee Philpott, Adam Wilde
Subs :
Robbie Pethick, Nathan Bunce, Ian Hutchinson (for Wilde
74mins), Shaun Wilkinson, Paul Gibbs
Dorchester Town: Graig Bradshaw, Anthony Griffin,
Simon Radcliffe, Gary Middleton, Alex Browne, Mark Jermyn, Mark
Robinson, Jamie Browne, Justin Keeler, Matt Groves, Joseba Barandiaran
Subs :
Carl Poole, Mike Walker, Warren Byerley (for Barandiaran
63 mins), Steve Legg, Paul Myers
Referee:
A Laver (Portsmouth)
Bookings:
Weymouth: Barlow (foul)
Dorchester Town: Browne (foul) Jermyn (foul)
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