In a cracking game played at a very cold and windy West Clewes, Welton can count themselves unlucky that they did not come away with a point.
The visitors started the livelier. Clayton Dando in the Welton goal saved well with his legs to deny Taoufik Ben-Salem, who had broken through the Welton defence. As the game continued and the tempo was raised, there were a lot of petty fouls by both sides that affected the flow of the game.
Welton's first chance came when a great throughball by Andy Catley set Paul Banks on his way, but the ball ran away from him as he bore down on the Chard goal. The visitors took the lead on twenty minutes when Dando failed to deal with a back pass and the ball fell to Sam Clark, who drilled his shot into the empty Welton net. However, five minutes later, Welton were on level terms when a quality corner from Catley was met by Dan Scrivens on the edge of the area and the youngster curled a delightful shot past the Chard keeper into the far corner of the net to score a very good goal.
Chard responded and Clark went close with a header that flew over the Welton bar. Then Dando did well to save at point-blank range a snapshot from Clark. As half-time approached, good play by Welton's Aaron Stewart saw him beat his marker, race in from the right and find Banks in space. The striker's shot was saved by Scott Wells-Burr in the Chard goal.
Welton started off brightly in the second half. A cheeky overhead kick from Banks saw the Chard keeper scrambling along his line to save.
Welton continued to press and Jack Metcalf and Banks combined well only for the final effort to be cleared away by the Chard defence. Dando was on hand again to brilliantly tip over the bar a miscued back pass from the Welton defence. Then good play from Scivens saw him race down the left flank, beating off tackles to send over a great cross that flew over the defence which was met by Catley racing in from the right and his first-time shot flew against the Chard bar and out.
A minute later, Chard won a corner on the left, the delivery was met by the dangerous Ben-Salem and his bullet header gave Dando no chance as it flew into the net to give the visitors the lead.
Welton pressed for the equaliser and two strikes from Barry Sandquest went close.
Then, with five minutes remaining on the clock, Ben-Salem got his second and Chard's third when he pounced on a loose ball, raced goalwards and then lobbed the advancing Dando from twenty yards out to score a quality goal.
Welton wouldn't lie down and continued to attack Chard and good play involving Metcalf and Scrivens saw the ball fall to Banks at the far post who slotted home number two for Welton.
Bob Allard