Second clean sheet as City look solid

From the resulting corner, Simon Browne failed completely to make any contact when well placed. Six minutes later Browne turned provider dropping a teasing cross into City's box, Tim Wooding could only get a glancing header to it and the ball fell straight to Phillip's six yards out with the goal at his mercy, but the former Plymouth man took a complete air shot and the ball trickled out for a corner.

Weymouth had been wasteful with their opportunities and City got in on the act a few minutes later. A mix-up in the centre circle between Browne and Tom Jones gave the ball away to Clements, he streaked clear and with the home defence trailing in his wake placed a shot over the bar when he could and maybe should have taken it on and picked his spot. Che Wilson saw his lob following a punch from home keeper Jason Matthews drop harmlessly behind the goal soon after as City began to get into the game.

Weymouth worked hard to close down space and City found it hard to get any momentum going but did get through just before the half hour when a Leon Gutzmore flick sent Kevin Wilkin clear, but he was always under pressure from Jones, his shot eventually cannoning off the defender for a corner. Weymouth responded through Michael Dean who hit a well struck shot from thirty yards that gave Martin Davies in the City goal momentary cause for concern but was always rising and cleared the bar.

As the half entered it's final few minutes Leon Gutzmore got in behind the Weymouth defence on the end of a Wilkin header, but he was quickly closed down by Jones and was forced to try a speculative chip which never troubled Matthews.

Weymouth raised the tempo in the second half and pushed forward effectively. A minute in Mark Rawlinson had a shot deflected behind for a corner, three minutes on the same man was on hand to place a header from a good position into Davies' hands. Seconds later Phillips flashed a shot from the edge of the area wide of the upright as City were forced to defend. Weymouth continued to press and Whiteman forced Davies into a fine low stop after the ball had conveniently rebounded to the striker off Wooding's chest.

It took until the hour mark for City to show themselves as an attacking entity and when they did they were very unlucky not to take the lead. A long cross to the back post by Richard Skelly was headed back across goal by Gutzmore, Wilkin knocked it down and Jack Wignall struck a fierce shot through a sea of legs that looked a goal all the way until Matthews - who must have seen it late - snaked out an arm at full stretch to turn it behind for a corner, strangely though the referee gave a goal-kick.

City went close again soon after when Wilde let rip with a stinging half volley from fully thirty yards that Matthews did extremely well to claw out of the air, again at full stretch.

Weymouth replied by creating two opportunities of their own. Mark Robinson ran almost the full length of the pitch before crossing to find substitute Chris Giles, but the cross was slightly too high and his header looped over the bar. Five minutes on Shane Wardley was the right man in the right place as he hacked Giles' header off the line following a right wing corner. Straight afterwards Weymouth were presented with a great opportunity to score and it was Phillips who had the chance to erase his failed effort of the opening minutes. The striker charged clear after Wooding's attempted clearance had bounced off Giles' chest straight to him, but as he shaped to score, Davies and Colin Vowden combined well to force him to roll his effort well wide of the target.

In the final minutes City had the chance to make the gruelling five hour trip the south coast all worth while. Wilde hit a long ball forward, Weymouth defender, Tom Jones, seemed to have things under control out near the touchline, that was until he was robbed by Darren Collins who was on as a half-time replacement for Gutzmore.