Welton recorded their first league win of the season, due to a hardworking team performance which saw a goal in each half doing the damage.
The game got off to a fast and furious start, with both teams going all out to get the opening goal. The game was going from end to end, and it was Welton who were rewarded in the tenth minute.
A long ball out of defence fell to Dylan Hatt in space; the youngster raced towards the home side’s goal and cracked in a rasping shot that Warminster keeper, Nathan Ball, could only palm away. The ball fell to Aaron Seviour to the left of the goal and he calmly slotted the ball into the Warminster net.
The home side responded, and an effort from Jake Wright flashed across the Welton six-yard box and missed the far post by inches. Good play by Joe Battrick saw him take the game to Warminster; he beat two defenders before firing in a great shot that clipped the far post, which denied Welton a second goal.
Welton continued to press the Warminster defence, and a deep free kick from Tom Smith saw the ball fall to Hatt, but he scooped his shot over the host’s bar. Reece Collyer then got into the action for Warminster, and his volley went just wide of the Welton goal. Another free kick on the right for Welton saw the ball delivered into the mix, where it was met by Will Hunter, whose strong header was just off target. Just before half-time, good hold up play by Dave Cooper saw him thread the ball to Chris Pile, and his first time shot flew over the Welton bar.
Straight from the restart, Warminster should have equalised – the lively Wright was put through in front of goal and with an open goal in front of him, he somehow managed to fire his shot over the Welton bar, much to the relief of the travelling Green Army. This let off galvanised Welton.
A free kick from Pile was met by Smith but his effort went wide. The hosts, who were beginning to dominate the game as Welton dropped back, saw a free kick crash into the Welton wall and rebound back to Collyer, but his shot was off-target.
Further pressure from the hosts caused panic stations in the Welton defence and the ball fell to Matt Minnis, on the edge of the six-yard box, but his first time effort was well off target. Welton keeper, Tom Drewitt, then did well to palm away a fierce shot from Jack Miluk.
The outcome of the game was settled in the eightieth minute when good play between Seviour and Cooper saw Cooper’s final shot rattle the Warminster post, rebound out, strike the back of Warminster Captain, Stewart Lisowski, and fly into the empty net. The hosts continued to press in the last ten minutes and Drewitt produced an outstanding save to deny Minnis. Just before the final whistle, Ball produced a brilliant one-handed save to thwart Cooper and deny Welton a third goal.
This Saturday, 1st September, Welton travel to Wells for a 3 p.m. kick-off.
Bob Allard