Wellington AFC

Toolstation League premier division: Manor Farm 2, Wellington 2.

INJURY-RAVAGED Wellington hit back from being 2-0 down to earn a point in Bristol yesterday.

With a squad featuring a string of reserve-team players, they looked to be heading for defeat as Manor Farm scored either side of the interval.

But Wellington improved as the game wore on and pulled a goal back from the penalty spot, Jack Adams scoring after a foul on Craig Herrod.

With nine minutes remaining, a Mark Burgess corner was flicked on by Scott Holland for County Gazette sports editor Greg Jackson to head the equaliser.

For the full match report see this Thursday’s Gazette.

Toolstation League premier division: Wellington 0, Welton Rovers 1.

A BREAKAWAY goal in the 82nd minute saw third-placed Welton Rovers end Wellington’s six-match unbeaten run at the Playing Field last night.

Both sides created chances in an entertaining game – despite the heavy pitch which had passed a 4pm inspection.

A draw would have been a fair result and it was heading that way until Welton broke out of defence with eight minutes remaining.

Chris Lewis raced up the left in pursuit of a long clearance and pulled the ball back to Welton’s player-boss Mark Harrington, who drove a low shot past keeper Nathan Whatley.

Wellington thought they had scored the equaliser their efforts deserved when they found the net in injury time.

But John Bradford’s effort from a Scott Holland knock-down was controversially ruled out after Craig Herrod was judged to have strayed into an offside position.

Wellington: Nathan Whatley, Adam Fricker, Greg Jackson, Will Gardner, Jack Adams, Dan Thompson, John Bradford, Scott Holland, Craig Herrod, Craig Mawford, Shane Kingston. Substitutes, Levi Marlow, Martin White and Simon Ingram (all used).

Attendance: 52.

FOR full Wellington AFC coverage, don’t miss the Somerset County Gazette every Thursday.

MIDFIELDER John Bradford scored a hat-trick as Wellington stretched their unbeaten run to six games with a comfortable 3-0 win over struggling Melksham at the Playing Field on Saturday.

Wellington went ahead after 27 minutes when Craig Herrod pulled the ball back for Bradford to net his first.

They increased their lead just before the break as Craig Mawford broke up the right with Melksham appealing in vain for offside and his cross was dispatched into the roof the net by Bradford.

The second half was a scrappy affair but Wellington scored a deserved third goal in injury time as Bradford completed his first treble for the club.

For the full match report see this Thursday’s Somerset County Gazette.

This Wednesday, Wellington are in league action again at the Playing Field when they entertain Welton Rovers (7.30).

Toolstation League premier division: Sherborne Town 2, Wellington 4

DESPITE fielding a patched-up side, Wellington stretched their unbeaten run to five matches with victory in Dorset last night.

With several key players missing, their line-up included new Portugese signing Eugenio Veiga at full-back with defender Craig Mawford playing as a makeshift striker alongside Shane Kingston.

And, after Mark Caines had missed a sitter for struggling Sherborne, it was Mawford who made the breakthrough after eight minutes.

His blistering run down the left ended with him being brought down inside the area and Jack Adams stepped up to convert his third penalty in successive games.

Both sides had their chances in an entertaining first half – Ian Jenkins hitting the post for Sherborne – but it was Wellington who increased their lead after 32 minutes as Mawford drove home a free-kick from just outside the box.

The visitors looked to be cruising when they went 3-0 up in the opening minutes of the second half, John Bradford scoring at the far post from a Kingston chip across goal.

But Sherborne pulled a goal back almost immediately through Caines and then made it 3-2 with 13 minutes remaining thanks to a deflected shot from Nick Jacobs.

The home side almost drew level shortly afterwards as another effort came back off the inside of the post but Wellington made victory safe with three minutes remaining when they were awarded another penalty – this time for a trip on Kingston – and Adams again made no mistake.

Wellington: Nathan Whatley, Eugenio Veiga, Martin White, Adam Fricker, Jack Adams, Dan Thompson, David Thorne, John Bradford, Craig Herrod, Shane Kingston, Craig Mawford. Substitutes, Ashley Gaines and Eubio Rosario (used), Warren Patmore (not used). Attendance 87.

WELLINGTON are in league action again on Saturday when they entertain Melksham Town at the Playing Field (3.00) and next Wednesday they are home to Welton Rovers (7.30).

Toolstation League Premier Division: Wellington 2, Bitton 2

WELLINGTON stretched their unbeaten run to four games and continued their climb away from the bottom of the table when they drew at home to champions Bitton last Saturday.
But they will view it as two points dropped rather than one gained as a dramatic finale saw both sides score in injury time with the visitors hitting back to share the spoils.
On a dreadfully heavy Playing Field pitch, which survived a morning inspection, Wellington continued their good form by bossing the first half.
They took the lead after 29 minutes when Craig Mawford surged forward from the right and cut inside, only to be tripped by Bitton’s Jack Welling.
With skipper Simon Ingram again sidelined by injury, Mawford’s fellow defender Jack Adams stepped up to coolly dispatch his second penalty in successive games.
Bitton had won the previous three meetings between the sides 1-0 but looked totally out of sorts before the break.
It was a different story in the second half, however, as they offered far more and drew level after 77 minutes when a Matt Knapman corner was headed home by Joe Chandler.
Both sides created openings but it was Bitton who looked more dangerous with home keeper Nathan Whatley pulling off a string of fine saves.
Yet Wellington thought they had clinched victory in stoppage time as they regained the lead, Shane Kingston rising to score with a superb header from Will Gardner’s cross.
Their celebrations had barely died down when the visitors broke upfield and James Clarke was sent racing clear up the right.
Whatley did well to to keep out his low shot but substitute Brandon Barnes was perfectly placed to snap up the rebound for a heartbreaking equaliser.
Wellington: Nathan Whatley, Craig Mawford, Will Gardner, Martin White, Jack Adams, Dan Thompson, David Thorne, John Bradford, Craig Herrod, Shane Kingston, Scott Holland. Subs: Adam Fricker, Mark Burgess (used), Dan Woodgate (not used). Att: 43.

Toolstation League premier division: Wellington 4, Bishop Sutton 2.

WELLINGTON’S first league win since October 10 fired them out of the premier division relegation zone at the Playing Field last night.

The result stretched their unbeaten run to three matches and moved them up four places in the table.

With the kick-off delayed after Bishop Sutton were held up by a motorway accident, Wellington had to overcome the loss of skipper Simon Ingram, who pulled up in the warm-up and could take no part in the game.

And things went from bad to worse when they fell behind after five minutes as Pete Sheppard whipped in a cross from the left and Rob Smart’s header went in off the inside of the post.

Wellington refused to let the early setbacks unsettle them and went on to play some of their best football of the season with wide man Dan Thompson a constant threat to the visiting defence.

The home side equalised after 16 minutes when a header by stand-in skipper Scott Holland was blocked on the line and Craig Herrod, who had replaced Ingram, nodded the ball home.

Wellington had plenty of chances in the first half and went ahead on the stroke of half-time as a Thompson cross was headed on by Holland for Shane Kingston to apply the finishing touch.

Bishop Sutton started the second half as if they meant business and keeper Nathan Whatley pulled off a couple of fine saves to keep Wellington in front.

But, after 63 minutes, Whatley failed to deal with a cross from the right and Sheppard headed home off the underside of the bar.

That equaliser shocked Wellington back into their stride and they took control of the game with two more goals to seal a deserved and much-needed victory.

They regained the lead with 14 minutes remaining as defender Jack Adams was brought down in the box and picked himself to coolly convert the resulting penalty.

And, in the dying minutes, the ball broke to Thompson who capped an outstanding display by drilling it low into the net.

Wellington: Nathan Whatley, Craig Mawford, Martin White, Will Gardner, Jack Adams, Dan Thompson, David Thorne, John Bradford, Craig Herrod, Shane Kingston, Scott Holland. Substitutes, Craig Aspin (used) and Adam Fricker (not used). Attendance 50.

For full coverage of Wellington’s matches and other news, buy the County Gazette every Thursday.

WELLINGTON’S Toolstation League premier division match at home to Bishop Sutton tonight is ON.

The Playing Field pitch passed a 4pm inspection conducted by local referee Mike Hall.

The match kicks off at 7.30pm.

Toolstation League premier division: Wellington 2, Brislington 2.

WELLINGTON failed to capitalise on a flying start as they were held by Brislington at the Playing Field yesterday.

The home side scored twice in the first eight minutes through a John Bradford shot and a penalty coolly dispatched by skipper and leading scorer Simon Ingram.

But Brislington hit back to equalise before the break thanks to a towering header from Jason Hughes and close-range effort by Leon Simpson on the half-hour.

Both sides hit the woodwork after the break with Wellington striker Shane Kingston seeing a rising shot come back off the bar.

At the other end, Brislington nearly snatched the points with five minutes remaining as substitute Tood Winter’s shot came back off the foot of the post and fellow sub Keith Williams fired over from the rebound.

Wellington are in league action again on Wednesday night when they entertain Bishop Sutton (7.30).

Toolstation League premier division: Wellington 1, Hallen 1

WELLINGTON ended their poor run in the Toolstation premier with a hard-earned draw at home to Hallen yesterday.

On a heavy Playing Field pitch, which passed a morning inspection, Wellington got off to the worst possible start as they fell behind after only two minutes.

They failed to clear a cross from the right and Hallen skipper Andy Cook bundled the ball over the line.

Wellington’s equaliser after only 15 minutes was an equally scrappy affair as Simon Ingram fed Craig Herrod inside the box and the striker’s shot ended up in the net with the help of a wicked deflection.

Both sides created half-chances in search of a second goal but the nearest either came to scoring was four minutes from time when Hallen’s David Truan was denied by John Bradford’s last-gasp goalline clearance.

For the full match report, don’t miss Thursday’s Somerset County Gazette.

Toolstation League premier division: Wellington 0, Ilfracombe Town 1.

WELLINGTON returned to action after a five-week, weather-enforced break with a narrow defeat at home to high-riding Ilfracombe at the Playing Field last night.

And they can count themselves unlucky not to have earned at least a point from a battling display, which showed few signs of rustiness.

Wellington fielded two debutants – keeper Nathan Whatley and striker Levi Marlow – and they matched Ilfracombe blow for blow in a close-fought game played at a high tempo.

Unfortunately, they were made to pay dearly for a solitary lapse in concentration as a corner after 23 minutes was swung over from the right and the visitors’ Lee Langmead ran in completely unchallenged to plant a thumping header past Whatley.

Wellington refused to let that setback knock them out of their stride and they should have equalised before the break when defender Will Gardner headed fractionally wide and then Marlow saw a goalbound shot from a good position deflected off-target.

The home side almost drew level in the opening minutes of the second half as visiting keeper Steve Oliver pulled off a smart double save to deny Craig Herrod and then skipper Simon Ingram.

Oliver came to Ilfracombe’s rescue again after 53 minutes when he grabbed John Bradford’s stinging shot at the second attempt.

Both sides created half-chances as the already heavy Playing Field pitch cut up even more with Marlow volleying wide and Herrod also blazing over for Wellington.

Wellington: Nathan Whatley, Craig Mawford, Martin White, Will Gardner, Jack Adams, John Bradford, Simon Ingram, Dave Thorne, Craig Herrod, Scott Holland, Levi Marlow. Substitutes, John Norman (for Marlow, 86 minutes), Adam Fricker and Mark Burgess (not used).

 For all the latest Wellington AFC news, read the Somerset County Gazette every Thursday.