Weymouth vs Brimscombe & Thrupp

Recap

Thrupp-set avoided as Weymouth strike six to progress in FA Cup
By Dorset ECHO

CUP fever hit Bob Lucas Stadium as Weymouth booked their place in the fourth qualifying round of this season’s FA Cup by overcoming a spirited Brimscombe & Thrupp outfit.

The Hellenic Premier Division side’s Cinderella story in the competition was ended by Jason Matthews’ men who, despite a couple of nervy moments, came through the tie with ease in the end.

The star of the show for the hosts without a doubt was striker Stewart Yetton, the club skipper notching a hat-trick to take his FA Cup tally to four goals already this season.

The Terras were huge favourites for the clash against a side that ply their trade in the ninth tier of English football, and the home side made one change to their starting XI.

Centre-half Calvin Brooks, who missed Tuesday’s 2-2 draw at Cinderford due to a back injury, was adjudged fit enough to start in the heart of the Weymouth back four.

That meant full-back Mark Cooper had to settle for a spot on the bench and Jake Wannell returned at left-back.

Brimscombe boss Sam Prior told Gloucestershire Live ahead of the clash: “This is the biggest game in the club’s history and for many of the lads it’ll be the biggest match of their careers.”

The visitors had gone into the contest having lost five of their last six games in all competitions. However, they had started their cup quest all the way back on August 6 and had never been further than the preliminary round before this season.

But their uphill task on paper was made even more difficult as, with their first attack, the Terras took the lead.

Dan Smith found some space on the right flank and his cutback eventually found the feet of Chris Shephard.

The former Exeter City youngster showed his class by skipping past his man and slotting the ball into the net from 12 yards out.

Ben Thomson then almost made it 2-0 as he picked up the ball in the left hand channel, got past a defender but his tame effort fell just wide.

Weymouth kept their foot on the pedal and on 13 minutes, came close to adding a second. Charlie Davis mis-hit a volley that almost caught visiting keeper Lewis Skyers off guard. Dean Evans then smashed the ball over from a corner.

The first chance of the game for the away side then came in a slightly nervy moment for the Terras. Brimscombe’s Jack Smith, with no options around him, showed some trickery to fox the Terras’ defence, but his shot came to nothing.

Thrupp were then forced into making an early change as Ben Snook failed to continue after picking up a knock, he was replaced by John Evans.

Dan Smith worked Skyers in the away goal with a swerving effort on the angle – both him and Shephard were looking really lively on their respective flanks.

The latter then displayed another bit of brilliance as he skipped past a number of defenders inside the Lilywhites’ box and stood the ball up for Yetton, his strike was deflected wide.

Shephard then latched on to a clever corner routine and forced another save but paid the price in doing so. He picked up an injury and had to be replaced by Jordan Copp after 35 minutes.

The home side weren’t to dwell on that problem however and got their second just two minutes later.

A slick Weymouth move was capped off with Thomson playing in Stewart Yetton, who could not miss to make it 2-0 and add to the goal he scored against Gosport in the previous round.

And, in a half which was just what Weymouth required, they virtually killed the game off in first-half stoppage time.

After good work from substitute Copp, the ball eventually fell to Thomson, whose shot looped into the path of Dean Evans to stab home.

That was to be Thomson’s last involvement as, following the break, he was replaced by Sam Jordan.

But at the other end Dan Thomas in the Weymouth goal was given his first real task of the afternoon by holding a snap-shot from all of 30 yards.

Thrupp were then forced into making their second switch through injury, Sam Blackie was forced to make way for Dave Woodfield.

In a quiet 25-minute spell, the best chance of the half initially came for the away side as Terras’ keeper Thomas came racing out of his goal and got nowhere near a ball over the top.

It was knocked past him by Brimscombe’s Ben Deakin but luckily for the hosts, Stephane Zubar was there to clear the ball away from danger.

Zubar was then replaced by Cooper for the final 15 minutes as Wannell moved back into centre-half and on 78 minutes, Yetton grabbed his second.

He powered a header into the corner of the net after meeting Dan Smith’s neat centre for 4-0.

Yetton then secured his hat-trick, remarkably his first for Weymouth, in majestic fashion.

The former Plymouth man showed sublime technique to bring down a deep cross and rifle a volley into the top corner – a strike which proved unstoppable.

And there was still time for Sam Jordan to get in on the act with almost the final kick of the game.

He rounded the keeper to score his first goal at the Bob Lucas Stadium, and wowed the crowd with a somersaulting celebration, as the Terras emerged resounding 6-0 winners