This was Welton’s first home match since Boxing Day and it was a bitterly cold afternoon at West Clewes and snow flurries were in the air as the teams took to the pitch.
It took both teams time to settle to the arctic conditions and it was Welton who struck first in the tenth minute. Good midfield play by Mike Thorpe saw him find Aaron Seviour on the edge of the Hengrove area. Seviour turned his marker and slotted the ball past Hengrove keeper, Carl Bush, into the far corner of the net.
Welton’s lead lasted only two minutes as the visitors raced up the other end, led by Rhys Hickory. He found Jack Fillingham free who volleyed home from fifteen yards out to equalise for the visitors.
Minutes later, Welton full back, Dan Veal, was on hand to block a goal-bound effort from ex-Welton player, Lewis Dunn. Welton keeper, Charlie Phillips, then produced a quality one-handed diving save to deny Fillingham. Welton weathered this storm and regained the lead just after the half hour when Jackson Hamilton waltzed his way through the Hengrove defence and found Shakeil Green in space twenty yards out, letting loose a cracker of a shot that nearly broke the Hengrove net.
Welton started the second half in positive fashion, Seviour stormed down the left flank, beat his marker and then fired in a driving shot that went inches wide. Bush then saved well from a Thorpe free kick that went through the Hengrove wall. Mark Fear then dribbled through the Welton defence at the other end, and his effort on goal was saved by Phillips.
Welton had a let-off midway through the half when Phillips raced off his goal line and out of the area to close down Hickory on a charge; Hickory glided past Phillips and shot towards the open goal, only to see the ball hit a bobble at the last minute and strike the Welton upright and the ball was cleared by Grant Price. The equaliser was coming as Welton couldn’t clear their lines and in the seventieth minute a mistake in defence saw the ball fall to Dunn in space, in front of goal, and he made no mistake with his shot.
Welton’s hearts were broken just before the full-time whistle when a free kick on the edge of the area from Sam Williams saw Phillips palm the ball away and Fillingham was first to react, slotting home from close range to score his second and Hengrove’s third and secure all three points for the visit.
Bob Allard