Welton Rovers 2 Bridgwater Utd 1

What a week it has been for Welton Rovers Football Club, they made it three home wins on the bounce, bagged nine vital league points all in front of bumper crowds and rounded it off with a superb comeback victory over high flying Bridgwater Utd.

Another large crowd graced West Clewes including quite a contingent from the visitors and the game got underway under leaden skies but at least dry. The visitors probed early on and Tom Llewelyn was looking lively down the right and one pin point cross flew across the Welton six yard box.

Both sides were probing each other out but it was the visitors who took the lead in the fifteenth minute. An attack down the left flank saw the ball crossed into the area and Jack Thorne rose above the Welton defence to head home past Dominic Oakes. Minutes later a long range shot from Jacob Spence was goal bound but covered by Oakes when the ball took a wicked deflection and thankfully went a couple of inches past the Welton upright.

Welton started to get into the game and Toby Cole raced down the right, drilled his cross over were it was met by Callum Elms who raced towards goal only to be robbed as he was about to pull the trigger. Oakes then was on hand to save well to deny George King and deny the visitors a second goal.

Just before the half-time whistle a mix up in the visitors defence saw the ball fall to Cole who ran towards the goal only for his shot to be deflected away by Bridgwater keeper Jake Viney’s trailing leg.

Bridgwater started the second half on the front foot and were pressing for the all important second goal. Oakes was called into action early on when he gathered safely to deny Thorne and a minute later saved well to deny Spence. Despite the pressure the Welton rearguard were holding firm and dealing with what was being thrown at them.

In the sixtieth minute it was Welton who got the vital goal to equalise. A through ball from Archie Morris was missed by the defender allowing Cole to race through and calmly lob the ball over the advancing Viney and into the empty net. Both sides rung the changes to go for the winner, Welton sub Jaiden Savery saw his long range effort fly over the Bridgwater bar.

At the other end, Thorne thought he had done the business when he slotted the ball into the Welton net but he was correctly ruled offside and a couple of minutes later King scooped his shot over the Welton bar as the Welton defence came under intense pressure but held firm.

The game entered stoppage time and a corner on the right for Welton was delivered over by Lewis Russell, it was met by Joe Garland who headed down and Savery was on hand to poke the ball home to send West Clewes into raptures, and just before the final whistle Welton nearly got a third when sub Owen Punselie fired in a cracking shot low down only to be denied by the trailing legs of Viney.

The final whistle went and the scenes at West Clewes were tremendous to watch as The Green Army celebrated an amazing victory and an amazing week.

Welton entertain Mousehole at West Clewes next Saturday, 11th February kick off 3pm.

Bob Allard