WEYMOUTH 1
McQuoid 87
YEOVIL TOWN 1
Worthington 20
Yeovil win 2-1 on penalties
WEYMOUTH missed four penalties in an unbelievable penalty shootout with old rivals Yeovil Town, the Glovers reaching the FA Cup first round after a dramatic 1-1 draw.
Amid an electric, fierce atmosphere and horrible wind and rain, Matt Worthington put Yeovil ahead in the 20th minute.
Just as they did in the initial tie, Weymouth again left it late to equalise, Josh McQuoid heading home in the 87th minute.
Yeovil’s Joe Quigley saw a 122nd-minute spot-kick saved by Ross Fitzsimons before Yeovil prevailed in the shootout when Brandon Goodship lifted his strike over the bar.
This will go down as one of the most dramatic meetings between the old adversaries and proved that the magic of the FA Cup is still very much alive.
READ MORE: Weymouth 1-1 Yeovil Town AET (Yeovil win 2-1 on pens) - how it happened
Weymouth made three changes to the side that began the 1-1 draw with Yeovil on Saturday.
Out went Josh Leslie-Smith, who had no place in the squad, plus the benched Josh McQuoid and Brandon Goodship.
In came Taofiq Olomowewe, Ben Thomson and goalscorer from Saturday, Tom Bearwish.
On the bench, there was no place in the 18 for Ahkeem Rose, who watched the game from in the stands.
Martell Taylor-Crossdale, Andy Robinson, Harrison Bruton and the returning Ben Morgan made up the other places.
Yeovil made two changes from Saturday, with Sonny Blu Lo-Everton and Jack Robinson coming in.
Tom Knowles and ex-Dorchester striker Ben Seymour were the men to give way, Yeovil only naming six players on the bench.
With Bearwish’s 94th-minute equaliser still fresh in Yeovil’s minds, the visitors made a solid start – just as they did on Saturday.
An early chance came and went for Jordan Barnett, the left-back hoofing into the stand behind Ross Fitzsimons’ goal.
Weymouth then won a corner after smart play by Bearwish, only for Yeovil to clear.
Omar Mussa also picked up in the same vain from the weekend, exerting his quality in midfield with a delicious pass for Brad Ash, who could only handle with the top of his arm.
Soon after the first yellow of the game, awarded to Barnett for sliding through Bearwish, Yeovil had a deserved lead.
Joe Quigley will wonder how he did not score unmarked from six yards, clattering an effort against the bar from Charlie Wakefield’s cross.
The Glovers recycled the ball back in and Worthington was there to apply the finishing touch past Fitzsimons from 12 yards.
After drawing first blood, Yeovil sensed more as the silky Sonny Blu Lo-Everton found space at will, supplying chances for Barnett and Dale Gorman to fire off target.
Lo-Everton was involved again when he set Wakefield away on the counter but the winger’s ball was well beyond the supporting Barnett, who had oceans of space.
Gorman tested Fitzsimons with a dipping shot on the half hour mark before a major bust-up.
Ash was the culprit, charging into Yeovil keeper Grant Smith in mid-air and provoking an angry reaction from Yeovil’s players, drawing Weymouth in to have their say also.
Ash was eventually booked and Yeovil were next to attack when Gorman’s skidding 35-yard free-kick caused no trouble for Fitzsimons.
Weymouth had their first shot at goal in the 45th minute when Sean Shields’ corner was headed just wide by Cordner.
Yeovil nearly had a second two minutes later when Quigley was found by Wakefield but Fitzsimons made an excellent save to push clear.
Murray came on for Mussa at the break but it was Yeovil who made the greater impact in the second half, Wakefield twice going close.
Weymouth responded with a crisp strike by Thomson for their first shot on target, followed by a wild Bearwish volley.
Terras’ boss Brian Stock introduced McQuoid for Ash with 34 minutes to go and the skipper afforded Weymouth an extra man in an attacking midfield role.
Thomson had Weymouth’s next chance but delayed his shot when well placed, allowing Staunton to make a crucial block.
Wakefield tested Fitzsimons again with 20 minutes remaining, the keeper making a solid block despite being unsighted by two defenders.
With chances at a premium for Weymouth, they were given a golden chance to equalise on 78 minutes.
Thomson was set clean through by a superb ball, piercing midfield, but the striker hesitated on the chance for a second time, the grateful Staunton tackling back to clear.
That opportunity was Thomson’s last involvement, Goodship his replacement with seven minutes to go.
In a breathless finale, Weymouth forced extra-time when Shields tore upfield and offloaded to Ollie Harfield, whose perfect ball picked out McQuoid to head home from two yards at the back post.
Suddenly, Weymouth were ignited but Yeovil had the next chance, sub Adi Yussuf seeing a shot deflect over the woodwork off Olomowewe.
Weymouth had chances on the break as Yarney took a heavy touch before a scintillating counter allowed McQuoid a final chance.
However, his weak left-footed shot was gathered by Smith as extra-time beckoned.
The first period was largely uneventful, Seymour and Knowles coming on for Lo-Everton and Barnett respectively, while Andy Robinson came on for Weymouth’s Bearwish.
That was until a big spell of Yeovil pressure, Quigley believing he had scored a header from two yards, only for the officials to signal a corner, leaving Yeovil incensed.
In the second period of extra-time, Yeovil saw out a prolonged spell of Weymouth pressure as the hosts tried to win it before penalties.
Cordner skied an awkward half-volley with five minutes remaining and Smith denied Goodship with that fabulous fingertip save but the biggest drama came in the 122nd minute as Yarney was harshly adjudged to have handled in the area while laying on the floor.
Up stepped Quigley but despite good placement to the left, Fitzsimons conjured up a stunning save to push the shot round for a corner, sparking jubilant celebrations in the Weymouth end.
Penalties were needed and while the quality was dreadful, there was unreal tension.
McQuoid missed and Yussuf scored for Yeovil before Cordner slammed home a retake for encroachment after missing his first.
Seymour skied for Yeovil and Smith superbly tipped Shields’ spot-kick round the post to keep it at 1-1.
Dale Gorman fired in for 2-1 and Weymouth thought they were out as Robinson hit the bar.
There was further, incredible drama as Knowles sliced his spot-kick so wide it hit a security guard in the head.
With Weymouth needing to score their fifth penalty to survive, Goodship lent back and sent it over to spark the Yeovil fans into raptures behind the goal.
Yeovil must wait to discover their next opponents after Dover’s replay at Yate was postponed due to a floodlight failure.
Terras: Fitzsimons, Cordner, Mussa (Murray 46), Thomson (Goodship 83), Ash (McQuoid 56), Bearwish (A Robinson 102), Brooks, Harfield, Yarney, Olomowewe, Shields. Subs not used: Taylor-Crossdale, Morgan, Bruton.
Yeovil: Smith, Barnett (Knowles 96), Hunt, Worthington (Simper 111), Gorman, Quigley, Lo-Everton (Seymour 102), Wakefield (Yussuf 84), J Robinson, Moss, Staunton. Subs not used: Evans, Dyer.
Referee: Sunny Gill
Attendance: 2,911
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