WEYMOUTH 3 BATH CITY 3 TEN-man Weymouth threw away the chance to go top of the Dr Martens Premier Division after Bath City grabbed a point from a bruising six goal thriller last night.

The Terras appeared to be coasting to the summit after racing into an early two goal lead through Steve Claridge and a Steve Tully spot-kick.

But injury-ravaged Bath refused to lie down and turned the contest in the second half with a three goal blast following Mark Kenway's petulant sending off.

However Tully's second penalty of the night saw Claridge's charges grab a point from an encounter that had it all in front of another big Wessex Stadium crowd.

The hosts had injury-hit Bath on the back foot from the off and Scott Partridge almost put them ahead early on when his superb turn and shot flashed just wide.

And the Terras were rewarded for a flying start when they hit the front on six minutes.

A diagonal ball by left back Simon Browne found John Waldock uncharacteristically in the final third and his inch perfect ball sent Claridge away.

The evergreen striker sold marker Adam Howarth a superb dummy before tucking under Romans' keeper Mark Bryant.

Just seconds after the restart, Weymouth piled on the pressure again and they deservedly made it two just 120 seconds later.

A delightful build up saw a neat Martin Barlow flick find Claridge who was crudely hauled back by defender Adam Howarth.

Steve Tully stepped up to confidently beat Bryant and put Weymouth firmly in the driving seat.

The Terras then treated their fans to some of the best passing football seen at Radipole Lane in years.

Partridge saw an effort go close as the Dorset side threatened to run riot.

Bath's frustrations soon boiled over as Matt Coupe's shocking challenge on Claridge, which only receiving a booking from referee Brendan Malone, was the first of a number of hefty tackles dished out.

But Alan Pridham's side also created openings to get themselves back in it before the break though and it took a good block by keeper Jason Matthews to deny Josh Jeffries.

With Weymouth two goals to the good at the break, they looked dead certs for victory.

But Bath had other ideas and they started to boss proceedings aided by some crunching challenges.

The game turned on a moment of madness by Kenway on 58 minutes after the ex-Portland star had been awarded a free-kick in his own box following a challenge by Scott Hendy.

With Partridge breaking down the Weymouth left, Kenway appeared to strike Hendy right under the nose of the referee who called play back and awarded a penalty.

Level

Up stepped one time Terras target Steve Tweddle to give the Romans a lifeline.

That incident seemed to

rattle the hosts and it came as no surprise when Bath drew level with another spot kick just eight minutes later.

This time the superb Dan Cleverley got the wrong side of Tully who sent the big man sprawling inside the area after clipping his heels.

Tweddle sent Matthews the wrong way again and Weymouth were left hanging on for the remainder.

The visitors had decent claims for their third penalty of the night shortly when Browne seemed to catch Tweddle.

Having looked like lambs to the slaughter earlier in the night, the Romans now had more fight and were the side who looked the most likely.

And they stunned the Wessex Stadium into near silence on 81 minutes by taking the lead.

But even the most ardent Terras fan would surely have appreciated the quality of the strike.

Coupe's arrow from the left flank found Cleverley on the right corner of the box and, in a finish reminiscent of Dutch striker Marco Van Basten's famous goal against Russia

in the 1988 European Championship, his sweet

volley flew over the helpless Matthews.

The drama continued in the final minutes as Weymouth desperately attempted to gain something from the game.

And their prayers were answered within two minutes when Mr Malone awarded his fourth penalty of the game when Claridge was dragged down by Hendy.

Tully's initial effort was superbly saved by the unlucky Bryant but the former Torquay man was handed another attempt after the keeper was judged to have moved from his line before the kick was taken.

The bleach haired wing back made up for his error by confidently stroking home the repeat to leave things finely poised in the closing moments.

Both sides went for the win with Claridge the closest to capping a dramatic night but his shot from 12 yards was pushed behind by Bryant.