Cracking win at Bideford
WELLINGTON showed they will be no pushover in the premier division this season by winning an incident-packed game at Bideford 2-1 on Tuesday night.
After their 7-3 FA Vase thrashing of premier rivals Ilfracombe last Saturday, Leigh Robinson’s side again got off to a flying start against the former league champions.
They went ahead after only ten minutes as Craig Mawford crossed from the left and found striker Aaron Deeks unmarked in the box to coolly add to his Vase hat-trick.
That was the signal for Bideford to take the game to the visitors but a dramatic evening saw one of their four corner-sited floodlight pylons fail on the half-hour.
While play continued in reduced light, Wellington lost Deeks after a heavy challenge and he was replaced by fit-again aussie striker Darren Stone.
And it was Wellington who extended their lead on the stroke of half-time as former Taunton keeper Kenny Griffiths dropped a Jon Crowford free kick and Craig Herrod scored through a crowd of players.
Matters took a new twist at the interval when Bideford officials said they could not restore power to the failed pylon and referee Andy Rodda had a long meeting with his assistants before deciding the second half could start.
Bideford got the all-important early goal only three minutes into second half as they were awarded a free-kick just outside the box and Nick Barker curled the ball past keeper Ryan Lewis.
Although the pylon flickered back into life for a few minutes after the re-start, it then went out again but there was still plenty of good football from both sides to light up the pitch.
Craig Herrod saw a shot cleared off the line and then another blocked by Griffiths, while, at the other end, Bideford’s Anthony Mason rounded keeper Ryan Lewis only for defender Daniel Short to get back and clear his goalbound effort.
The game then took an ugly turn midway through the half as Wellington striker Shane Kingston, playing against his former club, caught another ex-Taunton player Darren Hawkings and the defender had to be stretchered off with ligament damage.
Kingston received a yellow card for his sins and, when play re-started, was subjected to some rough treatment from his marker, which went unseen by the officials.
The injury meant Mr Rodda played eight minutes of added time and Bideford threw men forward in search of an equaliser.
But Wellington defended like heroes and fully deserved their celebrations at the final whistle.
Wellington: Ryan Lewis, Craig Mawford, Scott Holland, Daniel Short, Jack Adams, Jon Crowford, Marcus Vaughan, Andy Butler, Craig Herrod, Shane Kingston, Aaron Deeks. Substitutes, Darren Stone and Matt Naylor (used), Simon Ingram (not used).
