Welton Rovers’ season could not have got off to a better start, with two wins in the space of eighteen hours, including some historic silverware for the club.

Saturday saw the opening fixture of Rovers’ league season, a tough match up against newly relegated Odd Down. Notably, Odd Down’s Manager is former Welton supremo, Nick Beaverstock, a man who remains a legend at West Clewes, due to having managed 223 games for the Green Army. This made for a feisty affair, but one in which Welton deservedly came out on top. Chris Pile’s late winner built on Jake Slocombe’s debut goal to ensure Rovers were 2–1 winners, the first time they had beaten Odd Down in a league match since 2006.

Next up, on Sunday morning, Welton won the Fry Club Cup for the first time in the club’s history.

The prestigious pre-season tournament has been won by the likes of Bristol City and Bristol Rovers, and celebrated it’s fiftieth instalment this year. Rovers, who made nine changes from Saturday’s game, will go down in the competition’s history, with Pile and Slocombe once again scoring the goals that made the difference in the 2–1 victory over Mendip Broadwalk.

Saturday’s fixture saw Rovers wear their new Sam Chivers Estate Agents’ sponsored kit. The club has secured a new multi-season sponsorship deal with the business, with Club Chairperson, Malcolm Price, delighted – stating “there is no better company for us to have started this relationship with, their support is a massive boost to us going forward, as well as a further commitment to their work within our local area.”

Gareth David