The West Clewes faithful were treated to a seven goal thriller played in absolutely atrocious conditions, with sweeping heavy rain falling for most of the game.
The goal fest started in the tenth minute, when a ball into the Welton penalty area saw it pass between players, but Welton failed to comprehensively clear the ball. It fell to Aaron Allen, ten yards from goal, and he drilled his shot past a throng of players into the net. Two minutes later, the visitors got a second when a free kick from the right again wasn’t dealt with by the Welton defence, and the ball bounced about until it fell to Adey Harvey, who scored from close range. Welton were left shell-shocked after these two early setbacks, but picked themselves up and pulled a goal back in the 25th minute. A great run down the left by Shakiel Green saw him deliver a cross with pace that flew across the Ashton area, and was met by Chris Pile at the far post, who cracked his shot into the Ashton net. As conditions worsened, play was becoming bogged down in the middle, with very few chances created before half-time.
The second half saw Welton pressing early for the equaliser, but they had to be alert to Ashton’s counter attack. One such move saw a sweeping shot from Miles Hardidge flash past the Welton post. Welton continued to press, and equalised in the sixtieth minute, when a free kick landed right into the mix. Ashton keeper, Lewes Coombes, rushed out and grabbed the ball, but it slipped out of his grasp and Aaron Seviour was on hand to send it into the net.
Ashton regained the lead ten minutes later, when Captain, Miles Allen, met a corner and glanced his header into the Welton net. Both sides were going all out for more goals, and Ashton got a fourth from a counter attack after absorbing intense Welton pressure. A ball from the back found Hardidge and he set up Sam Skidmore, who made no mistake with his quality finish. Ashton keeper, Coombes, then saved well to deny Green. However, on the stroke of full-time, Welton got their third when further good play from Green saw him thread a quality pass to Seviour, who calmly slotted the ball into the Ashton net.
Bob Allard