Welton’s first home game since August 13th saw a large crowd turn up at West Clewes to support the team, but despite Welton’s best efforts it was the visitors who left with the three points in the bag.

Ashton and Backwell came out of the blocks at full pelt and the first chance of the game fell to Ben Beaumont when he met a cross from the right only to see his first time effort flash wide of the sticks. The lively start from the visitors continued and Connor Saunders saw his shot go wide of the target. Welton responded to this early pressure and got more of a foothold on the game with youngster Jack Jenkins causing the visitors defence problems with good work down both flanks. Ashton won a corner on the right and the spot on delivery was met by centre back Reece Hedges who was allowed a free header, but fortunately for Welton, he headed over the bar. Good play from Ben Wych saw him combine well with Lewis Russell who delivered a great cross that was met by Lewis Hunt and his goal bound shot took a wicked deflection and was eventually cleared. However Welton were not to be denied and took the lead in the 27th minute. A long ball out of defence fell to Jenkin on the right, he beat his marker and squared the ball to Hunt on a charge who drilled his shot past Lewis Coombes in the Ashton goal and into the net much to the delight of the Green Army. The visitors responded and just before halftime a shot on the turn from striker Joe Banks rocked the underside of the Welton bar.

The second half was only a couple of minutes old when the visitors equalised, a cross come shot was saved by Matt Dunk in the Welton goal but he couldn’t keep hold of it and the ball fell to Banks who gratefully fired home from close range. Three minutes later things got worse for Welton when the visitors were awarded a free kick deep out on the right flank. Upstepped James White who delivered a floater of a free kick that went over the wall, Weltons defence and Dunk watched it as it dropped into the far top corner of the goal to give the visitors the lead. Welton were shell shocked by these early second half setbacks and took some time to regroup as the visitors stepped up a gear to protect their lead. Welton manager Tom Smith rung the changes by using all the allowed substitutes and although Welton probed and battled the physical visitors were able to cope with all that Welton could muster. With little time remaining Ashton were reduced to ten men when Hedges was shown a straight red for violent conduct and on the stroke of full time the visitors were down to nine after another player received a second yellow card and was off. Bob Allard