After the heroic midweek penalty shootout victory over Bath City in the Somerset Premier Cup, it was back to league action for Welton, with a difficult away fixture at league leaders, Cheddar.
More than fifty supporters of the Green Army made the short trip over the Mendips and were rewarded with a very good team performance from Welton, who can count themselves very unlucky not to come away with at least a point.
The hosts started lively and Welton keeper, Tom Drewitt, distinguished himself early on with a point-blank save to deny fullback, Callum Laird. Welton’s response was a shot from the edge of the area by Joe Garland, that flew over the Cheddar bar.
Further Welton pressure saw Adam Cockerill’s shot curve around the far post. Welton had an escape when a long ball out of the Cheddar defence saw Drewitt come racing out of his goal, a full 30 yards, miss the ball completely, which then fell to Adam Wright, but his first time shot, fortunately for Drewitt, was way off target.
Dan Jackson, in the Cheddar goal, then sliced a back pass away for a corner whilst under pressure from Garland. The subsequent corner was met by Tom Smith, who headed wide. Welton deservingly took the lead on 23 minutes. Lewis Coleman found Harry McLachlan, wide on the right; he raced towards the dead ball line, pulled his pass back into the mix where Garland was on hand to drill his shot into the Cheddar net.
The hosts stepped up a gear and equalised ten minutes later, when a run down Welton’s left flank by Robbie Maggs saw him fire in a low shot that Drewitt could only parry, and the ball fell to Reece Ferguson who made no mistake from close range. Both sides continued their probing play, but the deadlock couldn’t be broken before half-time.
The second half began with Cheddar pressing the Welton defence, but the back four of Sam Stoppard, Cockerill, Smith and Alex Wych were playing their hearts out and keeping the league leaders at bay. Drewitt then did well with a full stretch, diving save to push away Oliver Hucker’s goal-bound shot. Garland then went close for Welton when he met Stoppard’s corner and headed just wide. Coleman then launched a long-range effort that wasn’t very far away from the target.
The hosts took the lead in the 67th minute with a somewhat controversial goal. A cross from the right was met by Maggs, who appeared to be standing at least two yards offside in front of the Welton goal as the Welton defence had pulled up; however, the assistant referee kept his flag down and Maggs volleyed home past Drewitt, much to the consternation of the Green Army. Welton pulled out all the stops as they went for the equaliser, and efforts from Wych and Cockerill all went close as the hosts battened down the hatches to deny Welton the equaliser.
Welton entertain Longwell Green Sports at West Clewes this Saturday, 23rd February, kick-off at 3 p.m.
Bob Allard