Recap

Weymouth held by fortunate Saints

WEYMOUTH    1
McCarthy 20
ST ALBANS CITY    1
Sambou 47

WEYMOUTH were held to a 1-1 draw against St Albans City, despite dominating the first half in the third qualifying round of the FA Trophy.

Terras had taken the lead in the 20th minute through Jake McCarthy after a swashbuckling first-half showing that saw them deservedly lead.

Saints came back in force in the second half and Solomon Sambou equalised in the 47th minute to a stunned silence from the home fans, yet St Albans were vastly better in the second period and could have won it through numerous chances.

Weymouth, unsurprisingly, named Lloyd Thomas between the sticks with Jordan Seabright injured in the 2-1 win against Salisbury on Tuesday evening.

The Terras set out their stall early and started well, intent on pressing and giving little time on the ball to their visitors.

St Albans had the first real chance when Saints’ captain David Noble swung in a corner that rattled around in the box before finally being cleared.

However, Weymouth soon had their chances.

Firstly, Brandon Goodship clipped a ball towards Ben Thomson, who ran on into the box, turned a defender and fired a deflected shot that needed clearing off the line by Lewis Knight.

Soon after, Goodship found himself at the corner of the Saints’ box, prompting the crowd to gasp in anticipation, before he smashed a shot towards goal but Dave Diedhiou got down to block the shot.

In the early stages, the difference in league was not visible, with Weymouth more than a match for their National League South visitors.

The Terras then took a deserved lead midway through the half when Goodship pulled the ball back to McCarthy on the edge of the box, slamming through a crowd and into the net.

The home side were left baying for a red card three minutes later, when Diedhiou fouled Thomson as last man.

However, a yellow was shown to the huge disapproval of the home fans.

The Saints were able to find their way back into the match as David Moyo found himself inside the Terras’ box but unable to get the ball out from underneath his feet, allowing Stephane Zubar to clear the ball.

However, the Saints failed to be truly threatening as the two sides went in at the break with Weymouth deservedly ahead.

Not long into the second half, St Albans were level and they should not have been.

A bouncing ball came to Sambou in the box, he seemed to used his arm to control the ball before rifling past Thomas to stunned silence from the crowd.

Weymouth looked rattled and on the ropes, as the Saints time and time again poured forward.

Knight should have scored when he found himself on the ball from a cutback on the edge of the box, but conspired to fire straight at Thomas.

Other chances presented themselves when Sambou fired straight at Thomas from the edge of the box.

Weymouth were making their way back into the game, having managed to regain composure following the goal.

The Terras were struggling to create a clear-cut chance however, as the Saints were looking vastly more threatening.

It was not an easy half for the home side, as the Saints kept fluffing chances due to some much-needed last-ditch defending from the hosts.

Thomas managed to kick the ball behind for a Saints’ corner from a Khale Da Costa header and from the second corner Weymouth managed to eventually clear.

It was a scrappy half, and one that seemed destined for either a Saints win or another replay.

Weymouth’s Ryan Glover then blazed over the bar with Snedker rushing out of goal to try and smother the ball.

Thomson was then adjudged to have fouled Snedker, who had raced out of his box to get the ball.

Goodship also fired wide from outside the box as the home side pressured late on in a late effort to grab a winner.

Goodship again had a golden chance but fired over the bar after good work from Baggie but the end result forces a replay at Clarence Park on Tuesday night (7.45pm).
Terras: Thomas, Ngalo, Buckley, Zubar, Sherring, Carmichael, Wakefield (Glover 75), McCarthy, Thomson, Goodship, Baggie (Baker 89)
Subs not used: Sa, Martin, Wells
St Albans: Snedker, Herd, Bender, Noble, Knight, Diedhiou, Da Costa (Z Banton 90), Sambou, Kiangebeni, Moyo, Wyatt (Gabriel 89).
Subs not used: Merson, Gabriel, J Banton, Gardiner-Smith.
Attendance: 518