CHAIRMAN Chris Pugsley insists Weymouth have had “no problem at all” in coping with a recent lack of revenue from home league fixtures, as the Terras take to the road once again at Hitchin Town this afternoon (3pm).

Remarkably, Weymouth contested their last home league game against Slough Town on September 6, a staggering 80 days prior to their next scheduled encounter with runaway leaders Poole Town at the Bob Lucas Stadium on Tuesday, November 25.

Between those fixtures, home gates in FA Cup and Trophy against Bideford, Braintree Town and Shortwood United have all had to be shared with the opposition, and less than 450 people in total paid a cut price admission fee to view a second string Terras’ XI take on Dorchester Town and Cranborne in the Red Insure Cup and Dorset Senior Cup.

While admitting their strong league attendances, by far and away the highest in the Evo-Stik Southern League Premier Division, are a “lifeline” for the club, accountant Pugsley insists that even though Weymouth have not been able to capture income from home league gates, the club’s finances are perfectly in hand.

And, if needed, the Terras are still in a position to strengthen their squad, having lost the wages of Ed Palmer and Shane Krac from the playing budget already this term.

“We have had no problem at all dealing with the lack of revenue from home games coming in, the club is quite financially sound with money in the bank,” said Pugsley, who is yet to see a home league encounter since taking over as chairman.

“If Jason (Matthews) came to me tomorrow and said there was a player that we desperately needed, I would tell him to go and get him. While we are in the hunt and in the shake up for the league we will not back off from getting the players we need, if we need them.

“We are hoping to strengthen very shortly, Jason is looking at a particular player at the moment and we are monitoring it day by day.

“We are determined to get out of this league and Jason has shown us that we have a chance this year, we are not going to let him down and I am sure he will not let us down.

“The main concern now is what sort of support we will get with home games coming thick and fast.”

And while cup competitions such as the Red Insure Cup and Dorset Senior Cup postpone more lucrative league fixtures, Pugsley is still keen to give those competitions his backing. He added: “There is definitely a place for the Dorset Senior Cup because it gives our fringe players a game.

“I just feel strongly that the Dorset FA should be flexible as to when we can play those games because they do effectively put off money-making league games that boost the capital of the club and are the lifeline of the club.

“The Dorset FA are always quite flexible in moving the odd minor cup game and helping us out.”

Agonisingly, Weymouth could have been staging a plum FA Cup first round tie against Chesterfield this afternoon.

But although they narrowly fell short in their replay with Braintree Town last month, the Terras have been boosted by a total of £15,000 in prize money from the prestigious competition, a sum which the chairman revealed was a bonus.

He added: “It helps a lot because we are still well in line with our original budgets for the season, and took nothing in consideration for the FA Cup at all.”

Meanwhile, the Terras’ home league fixture with Chesham United has been rescheduled for January 6.