THE boot was well and truly on the other foot last night as the Terras FA Trophy heroes were hustled out of the Dr Martens League Cup on the Isle of Wight.
Player-manager Andy Mason had no excuses after underdogs Newport from the Eastern Division came from a goal down to win the much-delayed tie after the Terras had central defender Ryan Cross sent off 18 minutes from time.
“I am disappointed to be knocked out – but on the night Newport deserved to win,” commented Mason.
“I have no excuses, they were just up for the game more than we were. The match was won in the first- half when we were poor.
“We changed a few things around at the interval and looked a lot better. Although it was a scrappy second-half we had a couple of good chances to get back into the game.”
He said he was “disappointed” with the dismissal of Cross who picked up his first caution in the 53rd minute following a foul on former Terra Steve Tate.
Then as tempers began to fray in a robust match, Cross, who is already due to miss Saturday’s home game with Burton Albion after collecting five bookings this season, needlessly chopped down Adam Holbrook and was shown the red card by Nationwide referee Darren Spicer.
Mason made two changes from the squad which pulled off a Trophy shock against Dagenham and Redbridge on Saturday, resting goal hero Lee Phillips and recalling Michael Dean with defender Dave Newland on the bench in place of Mark Gammon. The Terras started confidently and took the lead after twelve minutes.
Newport failed to clear Matthew Hare’s corner and the ball fell to the alert Darran Rowbotham who scored with a spectacular overhead kick. This stung the home side into action and Danny Potter did well to turn away Holbrook’s curling shot from the edge of the area.
Weymouth could count themselves unlucky when Mr Spicer awarded Newport a penalty in the 17th minute after Simon Browne was harshly judged to have fouled Holbrook. Steve Leigh smashed home the spot kick and only a minute later the Islanders struck again.
Ian Buckman’s pass through the middle found striker Ashley Wright who hit a piledriver from 25 yards. Although Potter got his outstretched fingertips to the ball, the momentum of the shot carried it into the net.
The remainder of the half belonged to Newport with the Terras on the back foot and they were fortunate not to be further in arrears at the interval.
The Terras looked a lot sharper after the break and Browne was unlucky when his left-footed drive from 20 yards hit the foot of the post with goalkeeper Colin Matthews beaten. The Newport gloveman was in great form minutes later with a brilliant save to deny Matthew Hale and then pushed Cross’s goal-bound shot round the post as the Terras pushed hard for an equaliser. But Tate nearly extended the Islanders’ lead when his header from Leigh’s corner struck the post.
n In last night’s only Dr Martens Premier Division fixture Salisbury won 2-0 at home to Worcester.
n Weymouth Reserves are at home to Horndean Reserves in the Jewson Wessex Combination tonight, kick-off 7.45.
Weymouth squad: Claxton, Newland, Linard, Court, Wisden, Dean, Tilley, Nicholson, Oldrid, Clasby, Underhay, Darch, Walker, Critchell, Southway, Evans.
