Here we go!
By Matt Pitman

Friday 4th November 2005

WEYMOUTH departed for Nottingham Forest today vowing to attack at the City Ground.

Garry Hill and his merry men left for their Nottinghamshire team hotel eyeing a first round FA Cup giantkilling.

And the Terras boss insists the Terras will try and beat Gary Megson's Coca-Cola League One outfit at the first attempt. He told Echosport: "The first 20 minutes tomorrow will be crucial to our chances.

"We need to settle quickly, hopefully quiet down the home support and build from there.

"If we do that, as my Dagenham and Redbridge side did to earn a draw at Charlton Athletic in the cup a few years back, then who knows what happens?

"One thing I can promise our fans though is that we're fully prepared for Forest and won't be going there to settle for the draw.

"We've got a game plan to deal with Forest but we certainly won't be sitting back and allowing them to come at us.

"Whether we can pull off a shock remains to be seen but I'm confident we can do well. "We have enough experience in the squad to deal with the occasion and because of that, nerves won't be an excuse if we don't perform.

"Before the players run out tomorrow all I plan to say to them is give it your best shot. "If they can look in the mirror when they return to the dressing room knowing they have given everything for the club, I'll be a
happy man."

More than 1,800 Terras fans are expected to make their way to the City Ground in a fleet of coaches, mini-buses, cars and a chartered train.

And Hill, who'll be the first manager in 20 years to lead Weymouth in the first round, believes those supporters have a big part to play.

"The build-up to the game has been superb because days like tomorrow don't come along too often in football," he said.

"It'll be great to see so many of our supporters sat together behind the goal and hopefully in good voice.

"To take so many fans all the way to Nottingham shows what we are capable of building at the club in the coming years. "The potential of Weymouth is frightening and it's up to us to try and bring more occasions like this in the future.

"Whatever the result is tomorrow the most important thing to me is that we earn some creditability and we come out of the tie with our heads held high, on and off the pitch." Coach Kevin Hales insists the Terras won't be fazed against Forest who play three leagues above them.

"People might not think we have much chance but tomorrow is eleven players against eleven - the result will depend on which team performs better on the day.

"Facing Forest or a Conference South team is no different, we have to attack to try and win the game. We're on a ten-game unbeaten run and that hasn't happened by just sitting back and defending."

Skipper Matt Bound added: "We haven't got anything to prove at Forest, only to ourselves as players. We're confident about our chances and obviously it'll be nice to play in such a high profile game.

Leading the team out at the City Ground will be a proud day for me."