Tuesday 25 March 2003 - Wessex Stadium - kick off 7.45pm
Dr Martens Premier Division
half-time: 0-0 result: L0-2 attendance: 551

team: Glassup, James, Trought, Coupe, Kemp, Rollo (Harvey 65), Gosling (Shore 78), Milsom (c), Eaton, Toomey (Tweddle 75), Williams. subs not used: Honor, Bennett.
man of the match: Mike Trought
scorers: none
bookings: Trought (25), Milsom (33), Coupe (73), Harvey (89)
officials: S Hollick (Plymouth), J Rutherford (Launceston), M Adkins (Saltash)

league position: 10th form: WdLWDL next match: Ilkeston (H)

With City's goalscoring woes more than enough to give relegation threatened Weymouth the chance to grab three vital points in the quest to retain their Premier Division place the last thing they needed was coming up against a referee who couldn't have been a bigger homer if he was fat, bald, yellow and said 'doh!' after each ludricous decision he made. And if his award of a free-kick in the 73rd minute hadn't ended up in the back of City's net to give the home side the vital first goal it would have been as funny as a classic episode of the Simpson's. Add his failure to do anything about the Terra's defences' constant manhandling of Jason Eaton in the area at all set-pieces plus a clear intention to only book players in black and white City's fustration at the final whistle was understandable. Having said that part of this fustration was clearly attributable to City's failure to convert the numerous chances that they created during the game despite never playing particularly well.

That it still took a very questionable refereeing decision to help Weymouth take the lead said a lot about the home side's performance. Whilst in their position the result was clearly much more important than the way it was obtained the award of man of the match to a player - ex-City midfielder Danny Bailey - who did nothing but lump the ball forward as high and hard as he could all night summed up their approach perfectly. This direct game saw Phillips fire wastefully over after eight minutes and then head a Hutchinson corner wide five minutes later before City finally got into their stride. A 16th minute Stuart James - recalled in the place of injured Frankie Bennett - corner found the head of Mike Trought but keeper Matthews was equal to his strong header. Dave Toomey saw a shot fly wide before a error by Kenway allowed Jason Eaton a clear run on goal. Showing the signs of a player who hadn't scored in eight games he elected to pull the back across goal and failed to pick out a teammate. The ball did break eventually to Paul Milsom but he blasted high over the bar. City's defence was now coping comfortably with the Dorset sides route one approach although they did have a lucky escape when on 40 minutes Andrew's looping header came back off the post into the arms of Ellis Glassup. Immediately City responded with a surging 50 yard burst from Andy Williams. His low cross picked out Eaton who could only scuff a shot three yards wide.

The second half began with City still looking the more likely side to break the deadlock. Gary Kemp rose well to meet another James cross only to see his header clip the top of the bar. And a strong run from Dave Toomey ended up with him curling a 20-yard effort wide of the far post. Glassup had only been required to save an Andrews shot during this spell but this all changed on 72 minutes. Matt Coupe easily won a challenge with Phillips on the edge of the City box only for the ball to bounce up on the firm surface and strike him on the shoulder. Despite being way behind the play Mr Hollick awarded a free-kick. Hutchinson stepped up to curl the ball into the left hand corner of the net. Almost immediately City brought on Steve Tweddle for Toomey but before he could have any impact on the game Weymouth doubled their advantage. Jackson's flick on fell to Tulley and he looped a volley over Glassup. City didn't let this double blow affect them and substitute Iain Harvey burst through the heart of the Weymouth defence after 82 minutes. His initial shot was blocked by Matthews and when the rebound struck him before dropping just over the bar it just about summed up City's night. Harvey sliced another shot well wide, Tweddle was denied a goal by a great last-ditch block by Tulley and Trought forced Matthews into an excellent save with a point blank header (after Eaton had been pulled to the ground) before the final whistle but this just added to the tally of missed chances and City's fustrations.