After the brilliant mid-week victory over Southern League’s Larkhall Athletic in the Somerset Premier Cup, it was back to League action against Sherborne Town for Welton at a very blustery West Clewes.

As has been the case in the last few League matches, Welton took time to get going, and allowed the visitors to take the game to them. Good play by Matt Day tested Welton keeper, Tom Drewitt, early on, and a couple of minutes later, he produced a quality save to tip Day’s effort over the bar.

The corner was met low-down to the right of the goal by full-back, Nick Jacobs, and he guided his header past Drewitt and into the Welton net to give the visitors the lead after only seven minutes. This woke Welton up, and a penetrating run through the Sherborne defence by Lewis Hunt saw his final shot saved by Jamie Beale in the visitors’ goal.

Welton equalised in the 22nd minute; a pacy run down the right by Aaron Seviour saw him fly past his marker and then deliver a pin-point cross that found Lewis Coleman in space to the left of the goal, and the youngster turned and fired in a very good shot.

Five minutes later, Welton were in front. Dave Cooper was found in the area, and just as he was about to pull the trigger, he was unceremoniously brought down by Jacobs, and the referee had no hesitation in awarding the penalty. Up stepped central defender, Will Hunter, who made no mistake with his effort that kept low and flew into the bottom corner of the net.

Welton didn’t rest on their laurels, and further good play by Hunt saw him find Joe Battrick, but his final effort went over the visitors’ bar.

There was a subdued start to the second half from both sides, possibly due to the conditions, and they both took time to get going again. Good play by Coleman from midfield saw him attack the Sherborne goal, only for the final shot to go wide of the target.

Further good play from Welton saw Cooper set up Battrick on a charge, but his effort was just wide as Welton pressed for the all-important third goal. Battrick was in the action again when he was put through, and launched a stunning shot that was brilliantly saved by Beale.

Joe Garland then delivered a great free-kick into the mix, and Coleman was only a couple of inches away from connecting with it. At the other end, Hunter was on-hand with a superb tackle to deny Elliot Mann, who was through on goal. As the game entered stoppage time, Sherborne were reduced to ten men when substitute, Sam Farthing, was rightly shown a straight red for a dreadful elbow in the face to Lewis Hunt.

Welton made hard work of this win, but they still delivered three more points, and with seven League wins on the trot, they remain top of the Toolstation Division One Table.

This Saturday, 20th October, Welton are away to Wincanton Town; kick-off 3 p.m.

Bob Allard