Welton worked hard to secure the three points against a strong and determined Warminster side, whose performance belied their league position of being the league’s bottom club.

The game got underway underneath sunny skies at West Clewes, with spectators at last being able to enjoy the Spring-like conditions on offer. Both teams started off at a hundred miles an hour, and a shot from the visitors’ Charlie Walton saw Tom Drewitt in the Welton goal spring into action to palm away the effort for a corner.

Walton was at it again minutes later, when his shot kept low and flew past the Welton far post. Welton’s response was a long-range effort from Captain Joe Garland, that landed on the roof of the Welton net. Courtney Charles and Mallick Jammeh were combining well for Welton in attack, but the breakthrough wouldn’t come. The visitors were awarded a corner on the left, which was taken by Eben Mortimer-Taylor, whose long delivery fell to Walton, and his first-time effort was cleared off the Welton goal line by Steve Bridges.

Jammeh was then put through at the other end, but was denied by a last-ditch tackle from Lewis Graham. The deadlock was finally broken in added time in the first half. Jayden Savery was found on the right, but as he raced towards goal, he was pulled back by a defender. The linesman flagged for a foul, but Referee Seward played a good advantage and the ball, which fell to Charles, whose effort was blocked but the rebound fell to Jammeh who made no mistake from close-range to give Welton a half-time lead.

The second half began with a more determined response from the home side, and a long-range effort from Tom Smith flying over the Warminster bar. Welton went two-up in the 53rd minute, when good play down the right by Savery saw him charge into the area and square his pass to Charles, who was in space and able to tap into the empty net.

A couple of minutes later, Welton really should have got a third and put the game to bed, when further good play from Charles saw him set up Jammeh in space six yards out and with an open goal in front of him, saw his shot fly high and rock the visitors’ crossbar and go out. Welton were in charge of proceedings, and Manager, Clive Scott, brought on all three substitutes. A corner from the left from Chris Pile was met by Smith, and his bullet header flew inches over the Warminster bar.

To be fair to the visitors, they didn’t give up, and were rewarded with a goal in the 80th minute. An attack down the right saw the ball delivered into the Welton six-yard area, where substitute, Matt Dyer, was on hand to slot the ball into the net. This set up a nervy ten minutes for Welton, with George Holland going close for the visitors. However, Welton responded to relieve the pressure with a cracking shot from Savery that was well saved by Nathan Ball in the Warminster goal, and a Pile shot flashing wide of the target.

In the end, it was three more points for Welton to secure their position as a top six side and prepare the players for an avalanche of games in the next three weeks until the end of the season.

Bob Allard