Terras lose their way on the Moorlands
by Carson Wishart

Monday November 8th 2004

WEYMOUTH suffered from that common footballing EGS problem in the second city -Early Goal Syndrome.

For after a rip-roaring start when they battered Moor Green into an early submission with a Lee Phillips goal with less than 120 seconds gone on the clock, they were made to cling on to their FA Trophy hopes by their fingernails come the final whistle.

In the aptly, gloomy surroundings of the Moorlands, caretaker coach Paul Buckle's team's second-half performance cast a shadow over the Terras potential longevity in the competition.

In the end, he will be simply grateful for tomorrow night's replay.

As it was, the brilliance of keeper Jason Matthews, the intervention ot the crossbar and some poor Moors finishing all conspired to keep Weymouth's name in the Trophy hat.

But it could have been all so different, if the visitors - who were already smarting from their first competitive defeat under Buckle against Newport County in the Carthium Cup four days' earlier - had maintained their first-half momentum.

They were off to a flyer wher Stewart Yetton whipped in a low cross into the six-yard box where Lee Phillips smashed the ball home.

But, despite maintaining much of the possession, it was left fo Matthews to safeguard the status quo until half-time as first his magnificent one-handed save denie 'Barry Williams' sure-fire strike fror the edge of the box on 13 minutes.

Just four minutes later he was left scrambling away Phil Trainer deflected free-kick as Weymouth lived on their nerves.

It was far from all one-way traffic though, as the visitors somehow squandered the chance to go two goals up when Nathan Bunce failed to connect with the goal gaping after some excellent work from Yetton.

Moors, who languish 20th . Conference North, were clearly a different proposition in the second half as they cranked up the pressure an after going close, finally made the breakthrough.

David Foy's 75th-minute free-kick was teasingly floated into the Terras box which, after failing to be cleared, was pounced on by Darren Middleton who fired home on the half volley to the relief of the vocal home support.

It was a hammer blow for Weymouth, but it could have been much worse just four minutes later if the same striker had managed to direct his header lower after smashing the ball against the crossbar.

And as Moors piled on the pressure, Weymouth breathed a collective sigh of relief as Jae Martin squandered a golden chance in front of goal and ensure his team-mates endure a midweek trip south.

Weymouth : Jason Matthews, Steve Tully, Dave Waterman, Nathan Bunce, Ian Hutchinson, Paul Gibbs, Lee Charles, Stewart Yetton (Chukki Eribenne 76mins), Shaun Wilkinson (Paul Buckle 76mins), Lee Philpott, Lee Phillips

Subs not used : Adam Wilde, Simon Browne, Francisco Ramos

Moor Green: Adam Rachel, Junior English, Richard Follett, Lee Collins, Guy Sanders, Ben Petty, Matty Hall (Jae Martin 68mins), Barry Williams (David Foy 35mins), Darren Middleton, Sean Dowdall (Davis 77mins), Phil Trainer

Subs not used : Daire Doyle, Luke Bradley

Referee : Andrew Newbold (Loughborough)

Bookings :

Weymouth : none

Moor Green : Trainer (foul 9), Follett (foul 56)