WEYMOUTH and Paulton Rovers will have to do it all again on Tuesday night (7.45pm) as this first quaifying round tie was rightly brought to a close just six minutes into the second half.

Light rain had turned into heavy downpours by the midpoint of the first half and, in an attempt to save the match, referee Lee Roberts allowed an extra five minutes at the break for groundstaff to work on drying the pitch.

However all attempts proved futile as it was clear to everybody that the ball was just not rolling when the game was allowed to restart and, anticipating further heavy rain Roberts brought the game to a premature end on 51 minutes.

The Terras began the tie with three major changes from the XI that began Bank Holiday Monday's derby victory over the Magpies.

Mark Molesley replaced the injured Chris Shephard, Aaron Rodriguez was preferred up top ahead of Stewart Yetton who dropped back to the bench and Jordan Copp came in at left back for the suspended Calvin Brooks whose position in the heart of the defence was taken by Jake Wannell.

Back into the matchday squad came both Tiago Sa and Dean Evans who took places on the substitutes' bench.

The hosts were quickly out of the gate and were nearly ahead inside the game's opening two minutes.

Charlie Davis began a fast break and as he powered into the area he sought to play a wall pass with Ben Thomson but centre-back Joe Chandler slid in to block the latter's square ball and nearly found the top corner of his own net in doing so.

The Terras remained on the front foot in the early exchanges and fashioned three corners that came to nothing before Davis completely over-hit a free-kick after 13 minutes as some early frustration crept in.

Two minutes later Aaron Rodriguez slipped in Thomson but keeper Ed Baldy was alert to the danger as he smothered the latter's attempt on the turn.

Light rain then turned to a heavy downpour after 20 minutes but, undeterred by the worsening conditions, Rodriguez seized on a misplaced pass near the left flank, cut inside before sneaking a delightful pass through to an unmarked Thomson who gleefully drilled beyond Baldy into the far corner for 1-0.

Weymouth were completely on top and moments later they threatened again as Dan Smith put in an inviting low centre from the left corner but the ball just squirmed away from Thomson who was ready to pounce and Baldy gathered.

Puddles were starting to appear around the half-hour mark but despite this the home side really should have made the most of a great opportunity on 33 minutes when Billy Lowes released Smith down the right side but the fast counter came to nothing as the latter's poor centre was cut out with Thomson poised to score.

The Terras were then made to pay as they handed Rovers a huge leg-up in the tie when Smith needlessly gave away away a free-kick for a trip 30 yards from goal and a pinpoint centre by Jordan Ricketts was neatly headed beyond Dan Thomas in the home goal by the towering Chandler for one apiece.

This had been the visitors' frst really threatening attempt on goal, but within seconds and clearly buoyed by the equaliser, Nathan Legge showed trickery to get the better of both Mark Cooper and Molesley as he cut inside but his shot took a deflection and was easily gathered by Thomas.

Then, despite a near 20-minute break in play at half-time, and with the rain failing to let up, it was no surprise that the tie had to be halted and Paulton will have to travel back to Weymouth on Tuesday nght.  

Terras: Thomas, Cooper, Copp, Lowes, Zubar, Wannell, Smith, Davis, Rodriguez, Thomson, Molesley. Subs not used: Matthews, Jordan, Yetton, Sa, Evans

Rovers: Baldy, Keightley, O'Sullivan, Grimshaw, Chandler, Shaw, Best, Gibbons, Legge, Ricketts, Diallo. Subs not used: Hailston, Hannah, Parkes, Brimson, Gould

Bookings: Weymouth: none

Paulton: Legge 

Attendance: 393