Petersfield Town 3 Weymouth 1: PETERSFIELD Town stormed their way into the second qualifying round of the FA Cup for the first time in their history with what can only be described as a performance that was as close to perfection that you are likely to see.

This was no mean feat against a Southern Premier Division side packed full with players who have had Football League experience during their careers and a club which has an impressive FA Cup record – this is the earliest stage of the competition they have been knocked out at for 18 years.

Every Petersfield player played a key role in this famous victory – as did the vocal crowd of 201 inside Love Lane who roared the home side on to victory.

Rams keeper Anthony Ender made a crucial save in the first half with his outstretched foot to keep a goalbound Weymouth shot out.

The defence of Lewis Hyde, Sean Wain, Dan Sackman and Jamie Ford stood up to everything the visitors tried to throw at them and at no stage did the Terras look like they would be able to find a way back into the game.

The midfield trio of Joe Richardson, Stuart Green and captain Ryan Woodford put in a mighty shift for the cause as they constantly worked hard to ensure Weymouth’s midfield were closed down and unable to play.

Alek Przespolewski and Michael Dixon were constant thorns in the Weymouth defence and their goals were just reward for their work.

And let’s not forget Joe Briggs – Weymouth’s left and right backs won’t for a long time and nor will anyone present forget his stunning 45 yard goal. You won’t see a better goal anywhere this season and it was just a shame there were no video cameras present to capture the moment.

One Rams supporter put it perfectly – it was worth the entrance fee to see that alone.

The game started fairly evenly as both sides probed each other for weaknesses without really creating any chances on goal.

After 14 minutes Weymouth were first to come close to breaking the deadlock. A corner from the left was half cleared to the far post where it fell to Chris McPhee. He shot first time but his goalbound effort hit a defender and rolled clear. Mark Molesley then tried his luck but his shot rolled through to keeper Ender.

The Rams then took the lead on 17 minutes. They had acres of space in midfield to take advantage of and the ball was spread wide to Briggs on the right. He drove into the penalty area and sent a low cross to the far post where Przespolewski was waiting to slide in on the ball and send into the roof of the net.

Two minutes later Weymouth went on the attack again, after finding plenty of space on the left and Jake Wannell got into the penalty area but his cross come shot was well gathered by Ender at his near post.

Petersfield then doubled their lead in stunning fashion on 28 minutes. They won a free kick 45 yards out and Briggs hit a high ball towards the far post which seemed to catch Weymouth’s keeper-manager Jason Matthews out with its flight as he could only push it into the roof of the net as it dropped into the goal.

It was such a great goal that you can finish any goal of the season contest right there – ask anyone at the game, you won’t see a better goal than that for many a season.

Things just kept on going Petersfield’s way at this point when four minutes after their wonder goal, Weymouth were reduced to ten men when Molesley was given a straight red card for a tackle – it was the only real complaint on the day from the visiting contingent who thought the referee’s decision was very harsh.

However, that didn’t stop them from pushing forward to try and find a way back into the game. In the closing minutes of the first half Stewart Yetton suddenly found himself completely unmarked ten yards from goal and with the time and space to pick his spot.

But when he tried to roll his shot into the bottom corner Ender, who had dived the wrong way, stuck out his leg and the shot hit his toes and dribbled round the post for a corner. Sackman then lost possession which allowed McPhee to drive into the penalty area but his shot was cleared off the line.

Ten minutes into the second half a cross from the left found the head of McPhee but his header looped up and dropped wide of the far post.

However, as the visitors pressed forward in search of goals they were always vulnerable to Petersfield’s counter attacks – and on another day the home side may have gone on to score six or seven goals.

Briggs managed to get on the end of a long through ball on the right hand side, beat the defender and he drove towards goal and curled his shot narrowly wide of the far post.

The Rams were in dreamland on 64 minutes when they went 3-0 up. From another quick counter attack Dixon got clear of the visiting defence and as Matthews raced from his line he dinked the ball past him and into the net.

A minute later Weymouth should have notched their first goal when a cross from the left fell at the feet of substitute Adam Kelly right in front of goal but he hooked his effort horribly wide of the target.

At the other end Jordan Neal, who came off the bench to replace Dixon, was sent racing clear and had his first effort on goal blocked and the follow up was smothered by Matthews.

Weymouth did eventually pull a goal back on 71 minutes when a corner was flicked on and not cleared by the home defence and the ball dropped into the path of Yetton, who forced it over the line from close range.

It sent the nerves jangling for a nail biting final 19 minutes but although the visitors huffed and puffed, Petersfield soaked up everything that was thrown at them relatively comfortably and the final whistle sparked wild celebrations both on and off the pitch for the Rams.

Despite all of the achievements of the previous two seasons, this truly was a remarkable afternoon in the history of Petersfield Town and a match which goes straight into Rams folklore.

Petersfield Town: Ender, Hyde, Wain, Woodford, Sackman, Ford, Richardson, Przespolewski, Dixon (Neal), Briggs, Green. Subs not used: Wedlake, Read, O Searle, Flanighan, Thompson.