WELTON ROVERS 0 RADSTOCK TOWN 1

It was the Miners who gained local bragging rights in the Coalfield Classico when they beat near neighbours, Welton, with the only goal of the game scored just after the half-time mark.

The Boxing Day fixture at West Clewes saw a bumper holiday crowd of 323 spectators watch the game that got underway on a very heavy pitch. Early pressure from the visitors saw Welton keeper, Tom Drewitt, save well with his legs to deny Morgan Skipp.

As the Miners continued to press early on, they were awarded a couple of corners in quick succession that were dealt with by the Welton defence. Radstock Captain, Jack Metcalfe, picked up a loose ball on the edge of the area, but his shot went high and wide.

Welton weathered the early storm and were getting more into the game. A great run down the right flank from Chris Pile saw him deliver a quality pass into the six-yard box, where Aaron Seviour was only a couple of inches away from connecting with it, right in front of the goal. Good midfield play from Shakel Green saw him thread his pass to Seviour, and his shot on the turn was well-saved at full-stretch by Radstock keeper, Jack Scrivens.

The visitors were awarded a free-kick thirty yards out, after Welton’s keeper was adjudged to have fouled. Up stepped Finn Haines, but his kick was way off target. The game was end-to-end, and Welton full-back, Lewis Dixon, combined well with Pile, whose delivery flashed across the Radstock area, and again, Seviour was only inches away from making contact.

Lewis Coleman then got into the action for Welton when his goal bound-shot was deflected for a corner, and minutes later, another effort was just wide of the mark, as Welton pressed for the all-important opening goal. Just before the half-time whistle, the Miners suffered an injury setback, when Skipp pulled up and was replaced by Ellis McDonald.

The second half began in dramatic fashion, when a long free-kick for Radstock was delivered just into the Welton penalty area. Welton keeper, Drewitt, rushed out of his goal and attempted to fist the ball away. However, he palmed it to a Radstock player on the edge of the area, who fired goalwards, only to see Garland block the shot on the line with a firm header. The ball then fell to Radstock striker, Sam Gregory, who made no mistake as he curled his shot past a group of players and into the Welton net, which caused massive celebrations and song from the travelling Miners supporters.

Minutes later, Drewitt saved well to deny substitute, McDonald’s snap-shot. Welton’s heads did not drop, and they pressed for an equaliser. They had a succession of corners to pressurise the visitors, and great combination play between Seviour and Omar Simpson saw Simpson’s shot blocked by Scrivens, and Liam Watson then blocked another Welton effort.

Welton rang the changes, and substitute, Connor Ford, saw his first contribution to the game – a shot on the turn that just missed the target. As the game went well into added time, the whistles of the Radstock support echoed around West Clewes, urging referee, Pearce, to blow his whistle, but Welton had one more chance, as Simpson drove in from the right, only to see his final shot go just-wide, which just about summed up Welton’s afternoon.

That was enough for Pearce, and he blew for full-time to send the vocal Miners’ supporters into full voice, and the singing began.

Bob Allard