Welton extended their unbeaten league run to fourteen matches, with a hard-fought draw with Oldland at a very boggy West Clewes.
The game got underway on a pudding of a pitch, but credit must go to the groundsman, Steve Sims, for even getting it just playable.
The first action saw Welton's Ricky Scott charge down the right flank and deliver a great cross into the Oldland penalty area that caused the visitors' defence all sorts of difficulties, before eventually being cleared. With five minutes on the clock, Oldland took the lead with a well-taken goal. Good play by Ryan Ashwood saw him turn his marker, feed the ball to Paul Coles and he launched an unstoppable shot from twenty yards out that flew into the Welton net.
Welton responded and a maisy run by fullback, Dan Scrivens, saw him drive into the visitors' area before being shut out.
Welton continued to press and a header from Michael Jones flashed past the Oldland post. Welton's pressure paid off on the quarter-of-an-hour, when good work on the right by Dan Cottle saw him deliver a good cross into the mix which took a slight deflection and youngster, Ryan Allen, reacted the fastest to poke the ball into the visitors' net. Oldland responded and a free kick from Scott Robson wasn't too far away from the Welton net. As half-time approached, Welton keeper, Andy King, was on top form with a fingertip save to deny Connor Davies.
The second half started with a deep cross from Welton Captain, Chris Peck, that saw Allen line up a shot, only to be denied at the last moment by brave defending from the visitors. Both sets of players were finding it difficult as the condition of the pitch deteriorated. Oldland were then reduced to ten men, when a rash challenge from Jordan Greenwood saw him receive his second yellow card of the game and he was off for an early bath. Anthony Conradi then shot wide, as Welton stepped up their game to get the all-important second goal. Ashwood got the ball into the Welton net, but his effort was rightly ruled out for offside. Peck then shot high over the visitors' bar and good work from Allen set up Conradi, but the striker's effort went inches wide of the target. Welton continued to press and had a series of corners, but that all-important final touch wouldn't come. Their cause wasn't helped with ten minutes to go, when Jones was shown a straight red card following an altercation with an Oldland player. Conradi then got the ball into the Oldland net, but his effort was correctly ruled out for offside by the officials. In the end, Welton cannot have any grumbles with sharing the points with Oldland, who were, in fact, the last team to beat Welton way back in the Autumn