Wellington AFC

Les Phillips Cup: Corsham Town 3, Wellington 0

Wellington went out of the Les Phillips Cup with defeat away to premier division champions Corsham in Wiltshire last night (Tuesday).

Wellington played some good football in the first half but found themselves 2-0 down thanks to some clinical finishing from the premier outfit.

They went ahead after 16 minutes when Simon Gray lobbed new keeper Stuart Wood.

And Liam Fulham doubled their advantage nine minutes later, sweeping home a low cross from Gray.

Wellington were awarded a penalty for handball but Kingston’s spot kick was well saved by keeper Nick Gingell.

Corsham made the game safe with a third goal after 65 minutes as James Lye converted another Gray cross.

Then came the sending off of Kingston for a bad tackle and ten-man Wellington did well to prevent any further goals.

Wellington: Stuart Wood, Mark Thompson, Scott Holland, Dan Short, Dave Anthony, Jack Adams, Shaun Anthony, Andy Butler, Craig Herrod, Alex Rudd, Shane Kingston. Substitutes, Simon Ingram, Nick Woon, Cam Nott (all used).

Toolstation League division one: Wellington 0, Cadbury Heath 3

WELLINGTON’S record breaking start to the season ended as they suffered their first defeat in 14 league games at the hands of Cadbury Heath at the Playing Field on Saturday.

Wellington hit the woodwork no fewer than four times before Cadbury Heath broke the deadlock after an hour.

A deep cross from the left by Leon Maloney was headed down for Duharty to shoot home from close range.

The visitors who got the all-important second goal with only seven minutes remaining as Duharty found himself in space just outside the box and shot home.

Wellington were caught out again in injury time with Maloney turning home his second goal to produce a scoreline, which was by no means a reflection of the game.

A bad afternoon turned even worse when keeper Ryan Lewis suffered a bad injury in the dying minutes as he clashed heads with visiting striker Marcus Duharty.

Wellington: Ryan Lewis, Tim Legg, Scott Holland, Daniel Short, Dave Anthony, Craig Mawford, Simon Ingram, Andy Butler, Craig Herrod, Nick Woon, Sean Anthony. Substitutes, Shane Kingston, Mark Thompson, and Jack Adams (all used).

Toolstation League division one:
Sherborne Town 2, Wellington 2.

WELLINGTON returned to the top of the division one table and maintained their unbeaten league record with a dramatic fightback away to highly-rated Shernorne Town on Wednesday night.

Leigh Robinson’s side were trailing 2-0 at half-time and yet hit back twice to earn a point from a remarkable incident-packed game.

Wellington started brightly and Craig Herrod saw a shot clip the top of the bar early on. But Sherborne gradually took control of the game and went ahead when a free-kick from left rebounded into the path of Tony Cunningham, who made no mistake.

The home side went further in front from the penalty spot when Sam Jarman was brought down by Ryan Lewis as he rounded the young goalkeeper.

Wellington knew they had a mountain to climb after the break but pulled a goal back when Scott Holland rose at the near post to head home a Mark Thompson corner. And they then equalised as a long free-kick into the Sherborne area found Shaun Anthony in space to volley home.

The game became more tense and bad-tempered as it wore on with a mass brawl near the halfway line holding up proceedings for several minutes as the referee sorted things out.

And both sides had their chances to win – Sherborne had what looked a perfectly good goal disallowed for offside while at the other end, Nick Woon and Craig Herrod were guilty of bad misses and the home side survived a frantic scramble which saw two goalline clearances and a fine save from Simon Ingram.

Wellington also had frantic appeals for a penalty for handball turned down and also saw Woon go down in the box only for the referee to award the free-kick against him for simulation.

The referee added on no fewer than 11 minutes of stoppage time during which the game boiled over with both sides having a man sent off – substitute Lee Clark for Sherborne and defender Dave Anthony for Wellington.

Wellington: Ryan Lewis, Tim Legg, Scott Holland, Daniel Short, Dave Anthony, Craig Mawford, Simon Ingram, Andy Butler, Craig Herrod, Nick Woon, Shaun Anthony. Subs: Mark Thompson, Jack Adams, Tom Crossland (used).

Toolstation League Division 1: Keynsham 1, Wellington 1

WELLINGTON played their ‘get out of jail free’ card to preserve their unbeaten league record with a draw at Keynsham last Saturday.

Leigh Robinson’s side were heading for their first league defeat of the season when Shaun Anthony’s 78th minute corner was safely collected by home keeper Chris Astley at the near post.

To the amazement of everyone in the ground, referee Steve Barclay had spotted a push elsewhere in the penalty area and pointed to the spot, Wellington skipper Simon Ingram coolly converting the kick for his 11th goal of the season.

Wellington were never at their best throughout the game, although the controversial decision did spark them into life for the closing stages.

Keynsham looked more lively from the kick off and went ahead after 17 minutes when Stephen Machin rose to head home a cross by Jem Douglas.

They should have gone further ahead seven minutes later when Machin was sent racing clear but his shot past keeper Ryan Lewis went just wide.

Wellington threatened occasionally and got the ball into the net five minutes before the break as Shane Kingston turned home a shot, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside.

And they were indebted to young Lewis for keeping the score at 1-0 shortly afterwards with a double save to deny Douglas and then the lively Fabien McCarthey.

It was a similar story after the break with Keynsham’s Scott Behan and Tai Coleman both blasting over from good positions.

And, at the other end, Kingston had a shot deflected wide and Ingram a free-kick well saved before Wellington’s penalty equaliser.

Both sides then pressed for a winner and Lewis again came to his side’s rescue with a superb save when Douglas was played in and looked set to snatch the points.

Wellington: Ryan Lewis, Tim Legg, Scott Holland, Daniel Short, Matt Fowler, Craig Mawford, Simon Ingram, Andy Butler, Craig Herrod, Shane Kingston, Alex Rudd. Subs: Nick Woon, Dave Anthony, Shaun Anthony (all used).

Toolstation League Division 1: Wellington 2, Westbury Utd 2.

WELLINGTON moved back to the top of the table despite dropping points for only the second time this season.

The 2-2 draw sees them leapfrog Cadbury Heath on goal difference but the Bristol outfit have played four games more.

Wellington went in front on 18 minutes when skipper Simon Ingram ran on to a Nick Woon pass to score his tenth goal of the season.

Three minutes later, Ingram saw his free kick cannon back off the post.

Westbury equalised when a free kick was headed in by Wayne Pearce but, almost immediately, Wellington regained the lead when Craig Mawford found Shane Kingston to half volley home.

Both sides created chances after the break but the only goal was a second equaliser for Westbury, scored after 70 minutes by Nick Ridout.

Westbury, who recently had a game abandoned after having five players sent off, had another man red carded after an off the ball incident in the dying minutes.

Toolstation League division one: Wellington 8, Backwell United 1

WELLINGTON returned to league action with a crushing victory over Backwell United at the Playing Field last Saturday to maintain their unbeaten start in the first division.

Wellington attacked straight from the kick off with Craig Herrod seeing a shot deflected wide.

And when the corner was swung over from the left by Craig Mawford, central defender Scott Holland rose at the near post to head home with only 55 seconds on the clock.

Less then three minutes later, it was 2-0 as Alex Rudd put in strike partner Nick Woon to shoot low under keeper Gary Clarke.

And shortly afterwards, with Backwell in disarray, Andy Butler sent Rudd racing clear to provide another clinical finish.

Wellington were totally dominant although the visitors pulled a goal back completely against the run of play after 23 minutes as Daniel Short was judged to have fouled Rich James and Alex Wyatt scored from the penalty spot.

That shock only served to spark Wellington into attack after attack and they ran in three more goals before half-time.

A fine run by Craig Herrod after 34 minutes saw him pull the ball back for skipper Simon Ingram to sidefoot home and, four minutes later, another Herrod pullback to Matt Fowler saw the defender’s shot eventually cannon in off a Backwell defender.

Shortly before half-time, Ingram made it six from the penalty spot after a Mawford cross had been handled – if it had been a boxing match, the referee would have stopped it there and then.

The second half was a similar story with Backwell unable to get near Wellington’s slick passing and stunning movement.

The visitors were not helped by the 64th-minute sending off of Wyatt for kicking out at Butler and the only shock was that home side did not reach double figures.

The two goals they did score were, however, of the highest quality as Ingram – pivotal in the home midfield – completed his hat-trick with a superb curler into the top corner after 77 minutes.

And Butler, who also had another fine game in midfield, completed the rout with a spectacular shot with eight minutes remaining.

Wellington: Ryan Lewis, Tim Legg, Scott Holland, Daniel Short, Matt Fowler, Craig Mawford, Simon Ingram, Andy Butler, Craig Herrod, Nick Woon, Alex Rudd. Substitutes, Shane Kingston, Greg Blenkinsop, Dave Anthony (all used).

Les Phillips Cup: Wellington 1, Bradford Town 0

WELLINGTON notched up a narrow victory over Bradford Town in the preliminary round of the Les Phillips Cup at the Playing Field last night (Wednesday).

It was Wellington’s third home cup match in the space of eight days and, after two close-run defeats at the hands of premier division sides, they will have been pleased to have avoided an unwanted hat-trick.

The stalemate was broken in the 74th minute when Wellington wide man Craig Herrod was brought down by Tom Rooney’s lunging tackle and the referee pointed to the spot, skipper Simon Ingram calmly converting the penalty.

The result earned Leigh Robinson’s side a first-round tie away to Toolstation League champions Corsham Town on Saturday, November 10.

Wellington: Ryan Lewis, Tim Legg, Daniel Short, Scott Holland, Matt Fowler, Greg Blenkinsop, Simon Ingram, Andy Butler, Craig Herrod, Nick Woon, Craig Mawford. Substitutes, Alex Rudd, Jack Adams and Dave Anthony (all used).

WELLINGTON return to league action on Saturday with a home game against Backwell United (3pm) and then are home again next Wednesday, October 17th, to Westbury United (7.45).

FA Carlsberg Vase: Wellington 0, Hallen 2

WELLINGTON were knocked out of the FA Carlsberg Vase with defeat by Hallen at the Playing Field on Saturday.

It was Hallen, who made the breakthrough with a disputed goal after 31 minutes as a cross from the right was headed goalwards by Paul Griffiths but went in off Mark Reynolds with Wellington appealing in vain that the striker was offside.

The visitors scored the vital second goal after 70 minutes and again Reynolds was the scorer, this time rising to head home a cross off the underside of the bar.

Wellington: Ryan Lewis, Tim Legg, Scott Holland, Daniel
Short, Matt Fowler, Craig Mawford, Simon Ingram, Andy
Butler, Craig Herrod, Alex Rudd, Nick Woon. Subs: Greg
Blenkinsop and Jack Adams (used), Greg Jackson (not used).

Somerset Premier Cup: Wellington 1, Bristol Manor Farm 2

WELLINGTON suffered their first defeat of the season as they bowed out of the premier cup at the hands of Manor Farm at the Playing Field last night (Wednesday).

But they could hold their heads high after a battling performance against their Toolstation premier opponents in a blood and thunder cup tie,

Manor Farm had Wellington under the cosh early on and were kept in the game thanks to a goalline clearance by defender Tim Legg and a spectacular flying save by keeper Ryan Lewis to deny Kevin Rawlings.

Wellington came more into the game as the half wore on and Craig Herrod had a “goal” disallowed for offside before Greg Blenkinsop’s low cross-shot came back off the inside of the far post.

The home side went ahead seven minutes into the second half when Nick Woon saw his first shot blocked but his follow-up effort squeeze under keeper Stuart Wood.

And there were chances at both ends before Manor Farm equalised in controversial circumstances after 70 minutes.

A corner swung over from the left was met by Ben Hiscox at the far post with Wellington appealing in vain that the striker had used his hand to net.

What proved to be the Manor Farm winner came only four minutes later as a cross was headed out to Aaron Anderson, who gave Ryan Lewis no chance with a sweetly-struck shot.

Wellington had claims for a penalty turned down as a Herrod cross struck a Manor Farm defender and almost took the game into extra-time near the end when sub Shaun Anthony blasted over from a good position.

WELLINGTON manager Leigh Robinson has been named Division One Manager of the Month for September by the Toolstation League.

Robinson’s side are currently unbeaten this season and are top of the table.

During the month, they recorded five straight wins including an FA Vase success at Penzance.

“Leigh has done an outstanding job since taking over and we could not be more pleased for him,” said Wellington chairman Ken Bird.

“We should not forget that the Reserves also won four out of four in September so it’s a pity the Devon and Exeter League don’t run the award as well – we might have done the double!”