WEYMOUTH could net a £250,000 windfall after being drawn away to mighty Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup first round.

The Terras secured a dream date with the former double Euro-pean Cup winners at the City Ground, Nottingham, on November 5 by beating Cambridge United 2-1 in the fourth qualifying round at the Wessex Stadium on Saturday.

Thousands of fans will journey north for one of the biggest games in the club's 115-year history, while even more will be able to watch on television, should the match be picked as one of the four first-round ties to be screened live by the BBC or Sky.

Chairman Martyn Harrison, who has bankrolled the Terras through his Hollybush Hotels company, said: "The fact Weymouth will be travelling to play one of the most famous names in Football in the first round of the FA Cup is just fantastic.

"Our fans have had to wait 20 years for us to reach this stage of the competition. Now we've made it and get to play double European Cup winners who were the biggest team in the draw.

"It'll be a proud day not only for Weymouth Football Club but also the town and I'm sure thousands of people will travel to support.

"Occasions like this make all the time, effort and money put into the club worthwhile and I can't praise the manager Garry Hill or the team enough."

Weymouth's cash windfall will come from their half share of the gate receipts - Coca Cola League One outfit Forest regularly attract home crowds of up to 20,000 - while live television coverage would net the Terras a further £100,000.

On top of that, victory for Garry Hill's men would be worth another £16,000 in prize money.

"It's all random figures," added Harrison, "but it will be a good pay day whatever happens.

"No decision has been made about TV coverage but we've got a good chance. Saturday, Novem-ber 5, is the scheduled date, but that might change if we do get on the tele-vision."

The first round draw, made live on BBC One following Saturday's games, was watched by hundreds of Terras fans in the Wessex Stadium bar.

Forest were the first team out of the hat, drawn by Preston North End and England legend Tom Finney. There then followed scenes of wild celebrations as ex-Chelsea star Roy Bentley pulled number 79 - Weymouth.

Supporters' Club chairman Nigel Beckett, who has been watching the Terras for 40 years, said: "Going to Forest means so much to the fans who've been through a lot of hard times in recent years.

"Already we've been inundated with ticket inquiries."

While Forest may have fallen on hard times in recent years, they boast a glorious past which includes those two European Cup successes under the late Brian Clough, a Division One championship title, League Cup and FA Cup victories.

Meanwhile, there was heartbreak for Dorchester Town who missed out on a money-spinning trip to Huddersfield Town in the first round after losing 2-1 at home to Welling United.