Athletic prove too strong for Welton
In an entertaining Toolstation League Premier Division game at West Clewes it was Devon visitors Buckland Athletic who triumphed 2-3 and left with the three points despite a spirited performance from a young Welton Rovers side.
The first action saw a free kick from Sammy Stayt pushed away by Welton keeper Alfie Hamblin. Welton responded and excellent midfield play from Marcel Lewis saw him find Miguel Alves in space and his 20-yard volley was saved by Tyler Coombes in the visitors’ goal.
Welton continued to press and were rewarded in the 17th minute when Kai Williamson’s pass found Brandon Oputeri and he calmly placed his effort over the advancing keeper to score and give Welton the lead. Ten minutes later the visitors equalised when striker Ryan Bush met a cross and headed home.
Just before half-time Buckland got a second and Bush also his second when his cross/shot from the left crept into the net off the far post.
The second half began with a left-footed thunderbolt from Oputeri that flashed inches wide of the visitors’ goal.
Welton then replaced ‘keeper Hamblin with Joe Harper making his debut. Welton continued to go for the equaliser and a great effort from Mason Aiden was cleared off the line by Rob Farkins.
Against the run of play the visitors got a third and Bush his hattrick when he met a cross from the left and finished off in style.
Welton continued to press the visitors and with ten minutes remaining Oputeri struck again. Welton went all out for the equaliser but Buckland ran out winners.
On Saturday, Welton entertain bottom club Millbrook at West Clewes in a six pointer, 3pm.
■ Wells City’s Harry Warwick netted a hat-trick as Wells City eased past lowly Bishop Sutton 8-0 at Lakeview on Saturday with an eight-goal demolition job.
The win cements their end-ofseason play-off placing in Toolstation Western League Division One whist condemning the hosts, without a win all season, and with a -155 goal deficit to possible Somerset County football next season.
City’s promotion chasers were on the attack immediately looking to add to their recent run of results which has seen the Blues lose just once in the past nine games, winning the remainder.
However, brave goalkeeping from stand-in custodian (player/ manager) Chris Blammon prevented the visitors from taking a lead inside two minutes.
Yet, Wells exerted their control and scored two goals inside the next six minutes; a great move between Ollie Bryant and Finley Wilkinson ended with the latter finding Connrad Peck who netted from close range.
Wells added a second goal on eight minutes; Charlie Moon’s reverse pass finding Craig Herrod, ron the blind-side with a left-foot finish past the goalkeeper.
On 12 minutes, strong running from Felix Brown on the outside left channel proved too much for the back-peddling Sutton defence and his defence splitting cross was despatched by former Taunton Town hitman Harry Warwick.
Sutton’s captain and central defender Dan Cardaso was doing his level best to organise his young team, but after a succession of corners, Wells scored a fourth, Warwick netting and scoring his second goal of the game. Then, on the stroke of half-time, Warwick completed his hat-trick (with his 32nd goal of the season in 44 games) after defender Finley Wilkinson’s near perfect overlapping run and cross provided the chance for the in-form striker as the visitors hit their fifth goal of the afternoon.
City hit their sixth goal on 77 minutes, substitute Alex Robertson getting behind the Sutton defence, planting his downward header beyond the goalkeeper’s reach following Moon’s corner. Scorer Robertson Robertson turned provider just two minutes later, providing a golden-opportunity for substitute Ollie Morris to finish for goal number seven.
With five minutes left, Herrod demonstrating close control in the 18-yard box provided a superb opportunity for Robertson to add his second goal and his team’s eighth of the afternoon.
■ Second-placed Radstock Town moved level on 84 points with Portishead in Toolstation Division One, but having played three games more, with a 1-0 success at AEK Boco on Saturday.
On Tuesday night they were in action again, against visiting Bradford Town. The game ended 1-1.
With Portishead winning, Radstock sit second in the table, 2 points in arrears and 3 points ahead of Wincanton.
■ Timsbury Athletic gave one of their most committed performances of the season against visiting league leaders Mendip Broadwalk in the Uhlsport Somerset County League Premier Division. However, it was not quite enough and a single goal 15 minutes from time from Jack Medjedoub was enough to win it for the Bristol side.
The visitors posed a threat from the off and after Jacob O’Donnell had shot over the top Matt Brooks did well to deny Medjedoub close to goal.
At the other Ellis Hancock was just too high with his effort and Chris Midgeley had a shot saved by
Mendip keeper Lewis Coombes.
Stand-in keeper Sam Gregory had a fine match for the home side and saved well from visiting captain Rhys Hickery.
A good move involving Rio Bryant and Rhys Cook ended with Cook’s shot saved by Coombes before Gregory again excelled diving to his left to deny Medjedoub.
The second half soon saw the visitors setting the pace.
The over-worked home defence superbly marshalled by Brooks and Callum Taylor resisted all that Mendip threw at them, until a rare moment of indecision in the 75th minute gave Medjedoub the chance to grab the vital breakthrough.
In the final minute Timsbury came close to an equalizer when a goalmouth scramble saw Coombes dive bravely to deny Hancock.