WEYMOUTH 0, BATH CITY 0

WEYMOUTH are still looking for their first win of the season after a disappointing 0-0 draw with Bath City at the Wessex Stadium last night.

And the late sending-off of striker Darran Rowbotham certainly didn't help the Terras in that search for their elusive maiden Dr Martens Premier League success.

The ex-Welsh international saw red seven minutes from time after collecting his second yellow card for dissent.

And while his dismissal probably came too late in the game to affect the result, it underlined Weymouth's frustrations against a well-organised Romans' outfit.

The jittery Terras opened their home campaign in under-par fashion and early on it was the determined visitors who looked by far the more likely to open the scoring.

Within two minutes the lively Jamie Gosling had keeper Danny Potter scurrying down low to beat out a drive from distance, while seconds later the Terras number one did well to deal with Gary Powell's low effort that skipped on the turf from 12 yards.

But when Weymouth eventually got going, it took an superb last-ditch header from Bath defender Colin Towler to keep the predatory Darran Rowbotham at bay.

The visitors made all the early running and should have taken the lead mid-way through the half when Paul Milsom's whipped cross was met by the unmarked Gosling, but the striker nodded wide.

Weymouth struggled to make any real headway up-front but equally they looked secure at the back thanks to a solid rearguard of Alex Browne, Ryan Cross and Simon Browne.

The introduction of Lee Phillips at the break helped to spark life into the Terras and the visitors always looked vunerable against a three-pronged attack.

And it wasn't long before the ex-Plymouth man threatened to break the deadlock, firing a low shot just wide after holding off key Romans defender Gary Thorne.

But despite their new found confidence, the hosts didn't have all their own way and they were served a warning when substitute Sam Allison sliced through a static home defence before firing into the side-netting from close range.

And moments later, it needed David Laws to race back 50 yards and dispossess Brad Thomas just inside the box when the City midfielder was about to pull the trigger.

For all Weymouth's decent build-up play, they failed to seriously trouble Mark Hervin in the Bath goal, however it was Phillips who came closest to finding the net on 63 minutes.

A decent move involving Laws and Darran Rowbotham ended with Phillips being put clean through, but the 20-year-old hesitated long enough to allow Colin Towler to steal the ball off his toe. With the visitors content to soak up the pressure, Weymouth enjoyed the lion's share of possession but failed to find that killer touch in front of goal.

But it was City who almost nicked it late on when Thorne's swerving effort from the edge of the box was blocked by Potter's legs. Then came Darran Rowbotham's needless dismissal and with it went Weymouth's hopes of victory.