Ryan Glover strike seals FA Trophy win for Weymouth

ST ALBANS CITY 0

WEYMOUTH 2

Thomson 12, Glover 88

WEYMOUTH caused a brilliant upset with a superb 2-0 win at St Albans City in their FA Cup third qualifying round replay.

Goals from Ben Thomson and a first Terras goal for Ryan Glover saw them beat their National League South opposition, despite having to defend for large periods of the match.

The big news prior to the match was the return of Jordan Seabright, who replaced Lloyd Thomas between the sticks, after recovering from a head injury sustained in the 2-1 win over Salisbury last week.

Two other changes saw Calvin Brooks, who was unavailable on Saturday, and Glover come in for Josh Carmichael and Abdulai Baggie.

Weymouth got forward early and Glover put a dangerous ball in across the box that Lewis Knight had to clear away for the Saints.

Six minutes later, Solomon Sambou drove at the Terras’ defence but the visiting side managed to clear on the edge of the box.

Moments later, the Terras countered through Brooks. He pinged a great cross into Jordan Ngalo, who could not keep the ball down and the Saints were able to clear.

After 12 minutes, the Terras snatched the lead in very direct, but brutally effective fashion.

A ball over the top from Brandon Goodship caught Knight and Saints’ goalkeeper Dean Snedker in a poor position and Thomson latched onto the ball and fired into the net.

St Albans pressured hard in the immediate aftermath to draw back level with Weymouth, but the visitors were holding firm.

Yet all in all it was a quiet start to the match, with Goodship firing a tame shot at Snedker after 24 minutes.

Khale Da Costa then produced two good chances via great crosses into the box, as David Moyo hooked a shot wide, before Weymouth had to cut the ball out to prevent it reaching Moyo again.

Da Costa was the beating heart of the Saints’ early attacking efforts, but the home side were finding little joy elsewhere.

After 35 minutes, Percy Kiangebeni had an ambitious half-volley from 30 yards out but it was well over the Weymouth bar.

Two minutes later, the Saints were nearly level.

Sambou, who scored the Saints’ equaliser in the two sides’ 1-1 draw on Saturday, set up David Noble who curled an effort just wide of the post.

Moyo then delivered a superb ball into the box, leaving Banton with a tap-in, yet the forward could only hit the post with his effort.

In a frantic finish to the first half, the Terras nearly went 2-0 up when Thomson countered and was left with just Snedker to beat but the goalkeeper made a great save to deny him.

The first half came to a close, with Weymouth again needing to hold firm for 45 minutes.

An early corner from Noble caused a problem, with Weymouth goalkeeper Seabright dropping the ball, but the Terras cleared.

It was a tranquil start to the second half though, with the Saints probing but rarely looking like converting any of the pressure.

After 58 minutes, Tom Bender drilled in a shot from 25 yards out that Seabright had to be alert to tip over the bar.

On 66 minutes, the Terras won a free-kick, but saw it deflect wide of the post.

St Albans then countered but saw the Terras defence able to clear the ball away.

Two minutes later, Weymouth almost doubled their lead.

Glover went on a great run forward but saw his resulting shot blocked away by the home side, before Thomson narrowly shot wide.

The Saints countered, forcing a great save from Seabright after Sambou found Noble, who rifled in a great effort from 20 yards out but saw it tipped wide of the post.

A flowing move then found Sambou inside the box after 77 minutes, but his shot was over the Weymouth bar.

The game was pedestrian at this point as Weymouth were looking to hold on to their victory.

After 82 minutes, St Albans made their final throw of the dice, bringing on Sam Merson and Jacob Gardiner-Smith for David Noble and Tom Bender.

It almost paid off, when Gardiner-Smith found fellow substitute Ralston Gabriel, whose overhead kick was wide of the post.

Yet it was the Terras who grabbed the next goal when Glover was teed up superbly in the middle of the box to slot past Snedker for his first Weymouth goal after 88 minutes.

Weymouth now go on to host Needham Market in the first round of the FA Trophy after their 2-0 win over Royston.

St Albans: Snedker, Z Banton (Gabriel 65), Bender (Gardiner-Smith 82), Noble (Merson 82), Knight, Diedhiou, Da Costa, Sambou, Kiangebeni, Moyo, Wyatt.

Subs not used: Kamdjo.

Terras: Seabright, Brooks, Buckley, Zubar, Sherring, Wakefield, Ngalo (Sa 80), McCarthy, Thomson, Goodship (Baggie 62), Glover

Subs not used: Thomas, Baker, Wells