HOLDERS Weymouth booked their Dorset Senior Cup final place after cruising to a comfortable win over Combination League outfit Gillingham Town at St Mary's Field, last night.

The slick Terras swept aside their spirited north Dorset opponents with a pair of strikes from Mark Robinson and David Laws, and defender Ryan Cross also getting on the scoresheet for the first time this season.

And Andy Mason's side could have dished out a much bigger hiding to the Gills' if they had netted more of the vast array of chances created throughout.

Mason said: "It was comfortable in the end but we should have scored more than we actually did. Having said that though, I'm obviously just pleased to get through because these sort of matches are potential banana skins.

"We were expected to win and I felt the lads did a professional job by keeping possession well on a tricky pitch and at times we played some nice stuff."

However one sour note on an otherwise decent night for the player-boss was the return of the Terras Dorset Senior Cup injury jinx.

Midfielder Mark Gammon was forced out of the action late in the second period after taking a hefty whack on the ankle following a challenge from Gills' left-back Paul Avery.

Mason added: "Mark was obviously in a bit of pain but we're not too sure right now what the actual injury is but it's disappointing because he'd been playing well up until that point."

With no league game until the March 17 fixture against Moor Green, Mason fielded a virtual full-strength side, although noticeable absentees from the starting line-up were rested duo John Waldock and Matthew Hale.

And Hale's replacement Gary Funnell was instrumental in the build-up to the Terras opener on eight minutes.

The youngster found Ian Hutchinson on the left-flank and his inch perfect cross was met by Robinson's looping header which gave Gills' keeper Alan Clements no chance.

Robinson went close to making it two shortly after when he blazed over following Darran Rowbotham's cut-back and Funnell was next to try his luck on 25 minutes but Clements did well to deal with his powerful drive.

And with the Dr Martens Premier Division side hogging the ball it came as no surprise when they doubled their advantage just sixty seconds later.

Darran Rowbotham's clipped corner into the near post found Mathew Hare but with his back to goal the uncompromising defender appeared to be going nowhere.

But as he turned, the ball deflected off Martin Belbin and broke to Cross who made no mistake from close range.

The Terras' dominance was further underlined when they made it three on 35 minutes when Hutchinson hooked clear Toby Giles' corner which found Laws scampering away on half-way.

He in turn released Robinson who ran on and coolly slotted home from a tight angle despite the desperate lunge of Paul Avery on the line.

With Weymouth now rampant it looked like a cricket score could be on the cards and both Laws and Hare wasted good chances to make it four before the big striker made amends for his earlier miss in stoppage time.

The impressive Robinson did well to work some space on the right-hand edge of the area before crossing to Simon Browne, whose weak shot found its way to the predatory Laws who was on hand to turn it in.

After the break the plucky Gills put up more of a fight and they were unlucky not to pull one back when star striker Christian Chambers had a low drive turned around the post by keeper Danny Potter.

But just a minute later they fell further behind when Potter's long clearance found Darran Rowbotham and with it looking like he was going to have a pop himself the former Exeter man unselfishly squared it for Laws to make it five.

Gillingham grabbed a deserved consolation on 58 minutes when Simon McClelan's deep cross was headed home via the woodwork by Avery at the back post.

Although that was the end of the scoring, chances continued to come thick and fast in the closing stages at the other end with both Jason Rowbotham and Laws wasting the best of them.

Weymouth: Danny Potter, Mark Gammon, Gary Funnell, Simon Browne, Mathew Hare, Ryan Cross, Mark Robinson, Ian Hutchinson, Darran Rowbotham, David Laws, Jason Rowbotham. Subs: John Waldock (Cross 74 mins), Matthew Hale, Michael Cameron (Gammon 74 mins).

Gillingham Town: Alan Clements, Marc Harvey, Paul Avery, Martin Belbin, John Case, Darren Hawkins, Toby Giles, Nick Ward, Lee Christopher, Christian Chambers, Simon McClelan. Subs: Martin Silk (McClelan 87 mins), Dean Haskett (Case 87 mins), Nick Compton (Christopher 9 mins).

Referee: John Boulton (Blandford Forum)

Bookings: Weymouth: none

Gillingham Town: Paul Avery (foul) 74 mins