City suffer attack of Terras to make earliest FA Cup exit in nearly 50 years

Two breakaway Weymouth goals from City corners saw the Romans exit the FA Cup at the 1st Qualifying Round stage for the first time in 47 years at Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park this afternoon.

The visitors – now plying their trade one below City at step 8 – came into the game with six wins from six this season and they flew out of the blocks, pressing City back in the opening exchanges. However, after weathering this early pressure City took control of the rest of the first half. New arrival Callum Wood tested Terras keeper Benefield with a long range effort on 15 minutes. Four minutes later Weymouth somehow kept the ball out of their net following an incredible goalmouth scramble. City continued on the front foot as Enzio Boldewijn and Joe Raynes saw shots parried by Benefield. Scott Wilson then sent a rising shot just past the angle of post and crossbar.

The second half opened with neither side able to gain the upper hand, although it took a great block by Harrison Minturn on 55 minutes to deny ex-Roman Beardmore. The deadlock was broken five minutes later when the Terras broke forward from a City corner, Swann racing down the left flank before crossing for Genesini to head past Harvey Wiles-Richards. City continued to struggle to break down Weymouth’s rear-guard. With ten minutes left Pedro Elawar forced another smart save from Benefield and from the resultant corner Alex Fisher’s shot was cleared off the line. This would be as close as City would come to rescuing their FA Cup hopes and, in the final minute of stoppage time, with Wiles-Richards up for a corner, the ball was cleared allowing Swann to carry it the length of the pitch before rolling it into the net and secure his side’s place in the next round.