WELTON ROVERS 6 ALMONDSBURY 0

Welton really did have a very good day at the office when they knocked their visitors for six at a wet and soaked West Clewes.

In a stunning display of attacking football, Welton could have easily reached double figures, the reason they didn’t was due to a top drawer display by

Almondsbury keeper, Stuart Wood.

Despite the downpours, the pitch at West Clewes was in very good condition and straight from the kick-off, Welton showed their attacking flair with Courtney Charles and David Regula combining well and causing the visitors’ defence all sorts of problems.

Welton took the lead after only six minutes when a corner from the left by Scott Hatcher was met by Matt Curnock, who rose above the defenders to head home. Five minutes later, Welton got a second when good work by Chris Pile on the right saw him thread the ball through to Kyle Box, who drilled his shot past Wood and into the Almondsbury net.

Pile was on form as he raced down the left flank and saw his final shot somehow cleared out of the mix by a nervy Almondsbury defence. Welton continued to search for more goals and were awarded a penalty on thirty-five minutes when Pile was bundled over in the area.

Almondsbury’s cause wasn’t helped when

Williams was sin-binned for ten minutes by Referee, McRitchie, for dissent. 

Welton made a half-time substitution with Leon Clayton Clarke coming on for Curnock who had picked up a knock.

Almondsbury were reduced to ten men when Matt Paton was shown a straight red card by the referee for a crunching tackle on Weltons player manager Tom Smith who was starting his first game of the season.

Sam Stoppard was then brought into the action as he replaced Keelen Mastouras for Welton.

They were rewarded in the fifty fifth minute when another corner on the left from Hatcher was met by Charles and his powerful header flew into the visitors net to make it four for the hosts.

Pile then got into the action again only to see his goal bound shot, from twenty yards, brilliantly saved by Wood.

Very positive play on the left by Stoppard saw his beat off a couple of challenges and find Regula in space and he fired home to score his second and Welton’s fifth goal.

Welton were not taking their foot off the peddle and Wood was on hand again with another good stop to deny Box and Welton yet again.

With fifteen minutes remaining the lively Pile ran onto a perfect pass from Alex Wych, he beat off a challenge and then fired in a low shot that beat Wood and flew into the net to make it half a dozen for Welton.

The action continued and the visitors were beginning to lose their cool; they were reduced to nine men when substitute, Stuart Alexander, was sin-binned and in the meantime, a wonderful chipped shot from Box saw the ball strike the base of the visitors’ post.

Almondsbury finished the game with eight players on the field after Kyle Ford was shown a straight red card by the Referee for an awful challenge.

Despite the dreadful conditions, the Green Army went home well impressed with this performance from Welton, which saw them move up to third place in the league table and remain unbeaten.

This Saturday, 10th October sees FA Vase action at West Clewes as Welton entertain Elburton Villa from Plymouth, kick-off 3 p.m.

Bob Allard