Taggart's early strike calms Terras nerves
By Matt Pitman

Wednesday 28th September 2005

TONY Taggart's early goal booked battling Weymouth a date with Bath City in the FA Cup third qualifying round next month.

The former Farnborough winger struck ten minutes into a hard-fought second qualifying round replay against Weston-super-Mare at the Wessex Stadium last night.

Taggart, 23, fired home after striker Kirk Jackson's spectacular chip cannoned against Seagulls' keeper Ryan Northmore's crossbar.

But far from steadying the Terras, the goal only achieved the opposite on Garry Hill's nervy full-timers.

Woeful finishing - with striker Wayne Purser the worst culprit - meant home fans suffered a night of finger-biting in the battle of the seasiders.

Former Peterborough United star Purser endured another FA Cup match to forget, hot on the heels of his penalty miss in the first tie at Weston last weekend.

This time around the nippy front-man worked himself into plenty of great positions, only to fail at the crucial moment.

In the end, Weymouth were grateful to some dogged resistance from their
excellent back four who chalked up their third shut-out in four games.

Midfielders Brian Dutton and Andy Harris also earned plaudits for tirelessly snapping at the heels of their Conference South opponents.

There was little to suggest a tight contest was in store in the opening
stages as Hill's fast-starters looked like romping home.

The superb Dutton was inches away from getting on the end of Harris' deep
free-kick inside 60 seconds, before Purser wasted the first of his golden chances.

The ex-Barnet man cut inside after being sent hurtling away by Steve Tully's right wing pass, only to drill across goal from close range. Weymouth's early pressure continued and they hit the front with what proved the decisive strike out of almost nothing on ten minutes.

Jackson picked up possession with his back to goal 20 yards out, turned sharply and sent a delicate chip over the head of the stranded Northmore.

It looked a goal all the way but the ball cannoned off the bar, only to fall into the path of the unmarked Taggart who rifled home from 12 yards.

Weston responded well after falling behind. Dean Evans had home keeper Jason Matthews scrambling down low to save before striker Marvin Brown,
who had a short stint with Weymouth last term, also went close with a stinging drive.

The tie became scrappy after that, with plenty of huff and puff but little in terms of quality.

But with the interval nearing, both side's were left frustrated after hitting the woodwork within a minute of each other.

First Harris' looping corner for the Terras found Purser at the far post who crashed a volley against the angle of post and box from the corner of the six-yard area.

Then from the resulting clearance, a swift Seagulls raid ended with Brown sending a looping deflected shot over Matthews and against the bar.

Frank Gregan's Weston, eager to keep their cup hopes alive, came out a different side after the break and immediately put the hosts on the back-foot.

Evans was given time and space to test Matthews from distance before some last-ditch defending denied Lewis Hogg.

Purser should have doubled Weymouth's lead on 52 minutes when he was set free by another good Tully run.

But as he bore down on goal under pressure by a couple of defenders, the striker stumbled and fell over his own feet.

The Weston pressure continued after that although they struggled to fashion any real clear-cut chances.

Once Weymouth substitute Shaun VVilkinson was introduced for ineffective winger Steve Clark, Hill's team pretty much sternmed the tide.

But more poor finishing meant the Terras could never really settle even in the closing minutes: Purser's horror night continued as he first was sent away by
Jackson, only to tamely shoot wide of Northmore's post, then his goalbound chip from Taggart's neat pass was headed off the line by defender Sam Bailey.

Just to show Purser wasn't alone in forgetting how to score, Jackson and substitute Chukki Eribenne followed suit late on.

Jackson was denied by the legs of Northmore and then put the rebound into the side-netting, and with moments left Eribenne's chip was smothered by the overworked keeper.