Wasteful Terras’ Trophy exit
By Adam Summers

Monday 18th December 2006

INADEQUACIES in the final third cost the Terras as they fell at the first hurdle against the two-time holders at the Wessex Stadium.

Grays only carved out a couple of good chances but clinical fin­ishing by ex-Everton forward Danny Cadamarteri and John Martin proved the difference between the two sides.

Weymouth enjoyed large periods of dominance but they lacked move­ment in the box and all too often their final pass or shot was weak.

Hill made two changes to his start­ing XI with suspended full back Trevor Challis and forward Wayne Purser making way for Tony James and Richard Logan.

Weymouth did appeal against the red card received by Challis in their previous game at Northwich Victoria but it failed.

As well as having to sit out this game the ex -Shrewsbury Town man will also miss the Boxing Day visit of Exeter City and the home clash against Stevenage Borough on Deceniber 30.

The Terras also included recently signed keeper Matt Baker on the bench along with Shaun Wilkinson, Chukki Eribenne, Dean Howell and Purser.

There was no place in the squad for stopper Arran Lee-Barrett, who spent time on trial at Coventry City earlier in the week.

It took just three minutes for Weymouth to create the game's first opportunity.

Abdou El Kholti swung a fine cor­ner into the six-yard box but no one in claret and blue was able to get the vital touch to send the ball past vis­iting keeper Ashley Bayes.

The hosts dictated the game for the first 15 minutes but could not create any more chances, as a real downpour swept across the ground.

El Kholti then lifted the atmos­phere when he latched on to a pass by Logan.

The ex-Yeovil Town player beat a defender and flashed a shot across Bayes but the effort fell wide.

So far Grays had shown nothing but on 20 minutes Cadamarteri ripped the Terras' defence apart. After producing a clever turn, the powerful forward played a neat one­ two with Martin before lifting the ball over home keeper Jason Matthews and into the top left cor­ner of the net.

It was a sublime goal and it cer­tainly gave the visitors a lot more confidence.

On 33 minutes Weymouth felt they should have had a penalty when Logan seemed to be held in the penalty area when trying to get on the end of a cross from El Kholti.

Referee Roger Vaughan ignored the appeals and seconds later Logan had a close-range shot locked by Charlie Comyn-Platt.

The Terras suddenly had their tails up and on 35 minutes Simon Weathers tone's deflected header just cleared the bar.

From the resulting corner Ashley Vickers went close when he forced Ashley Nichols to clear from the goal line.

Despite their dominance Weymouth still had to be on their guard at the back.

A couple of minutes later Justin Richards received a pass from Martin in the box but his strike was superbly blocked by James. Had the ex-Hereford United skipper not been there the hosts would have gone two behind.

Weatherstone drove a 30-yard free kick wide in the latter stages of the half but there was no doubt that the Terras were still lacking a killer instinct in the final third.

At the start of the second half Grays went close to doubling their tally when Cadamarteri fed Richards on the right. The speedy winger fooled El Kholti with a great piece of skill before then curling a left-footed shot wide of Matthews' far post.

Weymouth needed a lifeline and on 48 minutes they got it when Jamie Stuart hauled down Raphael Nade, who had looked certain to score after a clever pass by Logan. Despite the foul having taken place on the edge of the six-yard box Vaughim did not deem it a red-card offence and only showed a yellow to most onlookers' amazement.

Logan stepped up and dispatched the resulting penalty with confidence.

The same player was faced with another opportunity moments later but Bayes comfortably stopped his stooping header.

Just as it looked like Weymouth were going to get on top, Grays responded with a goal from Martin on 59 minutes.

The attacking midfielder danced around Matthews before sliding the ball past James, who was unable to stop it finding the net after scram­bling back inside his own six-yard box.

To their credit the Terras went straight back on the offensive and on 63 minutes Smith went close with a 20-yard thunderbolt that just cleared the bar.

Vickers then headed wide from a corner before Eribenne replaced him on 65 minutes.

It was a wonderful flick from Eribenne that gave Smith another chance five minutes later but Bayes superbly blocked his powerful strike athis near post.

Purser and Howell replaced Logan and Nade on 74 minutes in a last throw of the dice by Hill and on 84 minutes the hosts nearly levelled.
Weatherstone's pinpoint pass put away Rowell who crossed superbly for Eribenne but his near-post effort flew high and wide.

Smith also had an effort saved in the latter stages but it was Grays who progressed.