It was an early start at West Clewes for the Green Army on Saturday, as Welton entertained Keynsham Town in the first match of the Toolstation Western League Groundhop Saturday fixtures.

Despite the early start and drizzle, West Clewes was buzzing, with a bumper crowd of 247 spectators, and within four minutes of kick-off, it was the visitors who had taken the lead. A great solo run by Matt Curnock saw him tear through the Welton defence, race on-goal and fire in a quality shot that gave Welton keeper, Tom Drewitt, no chance.

This early setback galvanised Welton into action, and a glancing header from Lewis Coleman saw Keynsham keeper, Matt Dunk, palm away the ball at full stretch. A diagonal ball out of defence from Welton Captain, Tom Smith, saw the fall to Francois Allen, and his effort was cleared for a corner.

Chris Pile delivered a pin-point cross that was met at the far post by Smith, who bundled the ball into the Keynsham net to equalise for Welton.

Welton piled on the pressure, and another corner from the left fell to Allen in the mix, and in the scramble that followed, the ball was cleared off the Keynsham goal-line.

On the stroke of half-time, Welton took the lead when a long-range effort from Pile skimmed over the wet surface into the area, and Shakiel Green helped it on its way into the Keynsham net. Allen picked up a knock and was replaced by Mallick Jammeh.

The visitors went all out for the equaliser early in the second half, and Drewitt saved well to deny Kyle Box. The Welton defence was holding firm, despite the pressure. At the other end, Welton won a corner with a rare attack, and the ball fell to Joe Battrick, whose first-time effort was headed off the goal-line with the keeper beaten.

Keynsham continued to press, and Craig Wilson broke free, one-on-one with Drewitt, who saved brilliantly to deny the visitors the equaliser.

Welton were weathering the storm, and on a charge up the pitch, were awarded another corner. Pile’s delivery fell to Smith, and his powerful header had ‘goal’ written all over it, until Dunk produced an outstanding save.

As the minutes ticked by, the pressure was mounting on Welton, and a thunderbolt of a strike from Keynsham substitute, Ade Harvey, rocked the Welton crossbar.

Deep into stoppage time, Welton settled the nerves of the Green Army when the lively Pile still found energy to race up the left on a solo run, roar into the area, and fire in a low shot past Dunk into the net, to secure all three points for Welton.

Bob Allard