Wellington AFC

WELLINGTON boss Leigh Robinson is leaving the club to take up a joint-managerial role at Southern League outfit Bridgwater Town.

Robinson, who was approached about the job on Tuesday, announced his decision last night.

“I have had three fantastic years at Wellington, two of them as manager, and am proud of everything I have achieved.

“It has been an incredibly difficult decision but I’ve always wanted to have a crack at the Southern League and this is my chance.”

Robinson, who will share the manager’s duties with Craig Laird, guided Wellington to the Toolstation League Division One title in 2007-08 and to seventh place in the Premier Division last season.

Wellington chairman Ken Bird said: “We are desperately sorry to lose Leigh but would like to thank him for everything he has achieved here.

“He has played a huge part in getting us where we want to be – now we need to find the right person to build on that.”

Mr Bird added that the club’s management committee would be meeting tonight (Thursday) to discuss the managerial vacancy.

ANOTHER historic season for Wellington Football Club was celebrated at the annual dinner and dance.

Chairman Ken Bird told almost 90 guests that the first team had followed up winning the Toolstation League first division title in 2007-08 by finishing in seventh position in the premier.

And he paid tribute to the efforts of manager Leigh Robinson, assistant Wayne Hitchcott and all the players.

Mr Bird said that promotion had seen Wellington having to carry out a three-year ground improvement project in three months.

“That we achieved this and cleared all the bills by Christmas is testimony to a huge amount of work by a handful of people. This club will be forever in their debt.”

The reserves had endured a difficult season in the Devon and Exeter League’s premier division but the third team had marked joining the same league by lifting the Intermediate championship trophy.

Mr Bird said Wellington AFC was about much more than the first team, reserves and thirds.

“This season, we have run a record 14 youth teams, including three girls’ sides.

“We have also formed a youth fund-raising committee and next season will add to the tally by running an under-18s side.”

He said the club had developed at breakneck speed – and was continuing to do so.

The latest project – currently under way – would see £34,000 spent on virtually replacing the floodlights at the Playing Field.

Then the club planned to turn its attention to refurbishing the clubhouse lounge and adjoining function room, added Mr Bird.

Midfielder Andy Butler was named first-team players’ player of the season at the dinner.

The manager’s player award went to defender Craig Mawford while striker Shane Kingston collected the trophy for leading scorer.

The awards were presented by club president Alan Shire, who also handed over the Devon and Exeter League Intermediate championship trophy to third-team manager Dave Thomas and captain Jason Hawkings.

Other winners: Clubman of the year, Ken Bird; most improved player, Adam Jefferies; most promising young player; Mark Owen.

Reserve team players’ player, Craig Aspin; manager’s player, Nigel Letten; leading scorer, yet to be decided as one game still to play.

Third team players’ player, Dave Poulson; manager’s player, Darren Mace; leading scorer, Adam Jefferies.

Premier Division:
Melksham Town 4, Wellington 1
WELLINGTON ended an outstanding first season back in the Premier Division on a decidedly flat note with defeat in Wiltshire on Monday night.
Leigh Robinson’s side went into their final game knowing that victory would lift them into second place in the table. But, already decimated by injuries, they endured a torrid start to the night which saw them:

Held up on the motorway, which meant a delayed kick-off.

 Lose defender Andy  Robertson with an ankle injury after only ten minutes.

Fall behind to a goal from David Thompson a minute later.

Chances were rare in the first half but the game turned shortly after the interval as Wellington’s Luke Desave saw a cross fizz across the face of the Melksham goal with veteran Wayne Hitchcott just inches away from applying the finishing touch.
Almost immediately, Melksham broke upfield and – with keeper Ryan Lewis caught in no man’s land – Shaun Benison crossed for Thompson to make it 2-0. The Wiltshire side were now dominating proceedings and sealed the points with two more goals, scored by Benison and Jonnie Davoile.
To their credit, the visitors had the final say as defender Scott Holland headed home a Simon Ingram free-kick for their 87th league goal of the season, keeping Wellington at the top of the division’s scoring chart.
A memorable season ended with a night to forget …

Premier Division:
Wellington 1, Devizes Town 0
DESPITE having their squad wrecked by injuries, Wellington still ended their home campaign on a high by stretching their unbeaten run to five games last Saturday.
It took a solitary goal to see off a Devizes side, who were already relegated and who had been thumped 5-0 by Wellington on their own ground only two weeks earlier. Manager Leigh Robinson struggled to pull together enough fit players for even a starting 11 and had to employ his assistant Wayne Hitchcott as a makeshift striker.
Perhaps not surprisingly, his side looked completely flat during a dour first half which failed to produce a single opening. They upped the tempo after the break and almost went ahead from a trademark free-kick by skipper Simon Ingram, which hit the outside of the post.
The winning goal came after 66 minutes and was created by central defender Scott Holland, who burst forward and produced a defence splitting pass to release Craig Herrod to make no mistake.
Wellington were unable to increase their lead despite dominating proceedings and indeed were indebted to keeper Ryan Lewis for keeping out Robbie Mitchell’s goal-bound far-post header late on.
Wellington: Ryan Lewis, Andy Robertson, Scott Holland, Daniel Short, Craig Mawford, Cameron Nott, Simon Ingram, Andy Butler, Craig Herrod, Luke Desave, Wayne Hitchcott. Subs: Shane Kingston, Jack Adams, Mark Thompson (not used).

Toolstation League Premier Division: Bishop Sutton 1, Wellington 2
TWO goals from Aussie striker Darren Stone extended Wellington’s unbeaten run to four matches at Bishop Sutton on Tuesday night.
The victory lifted the division’s leading scorers up into seventh place in the table – only three points behind third-placed Bideford with two games still to play.
Wellington were in control for most of the game at Bishop Sutton although allowing the home side to pull a goal back made the closing stages more tense than they should have been.
Shane Kingston, who limped off with a recurrence of his knee injury before the break, and Craig Herrod were both denied by keeper Chris Blammon before Wellington took a 33rd-minute lead.
The ball was played over the top to Stone, who brought it under control before cleverly hooking it over Blammon into the net.
Herrod saw a shot come back off the post and also headed straight at Blammon before the visitors increased their lead four minutes into the second half as Stone pounced on a bad back-pass to skip past Blammon and produce a cool finish.
Bishop Sutton pulled a goal back with 17 minutes remaining when keeper Ryan Lewis missed a corner and Rob Smart volleyed home.
But Wellington held out for league win number 19 of an impressive first season back in the premier division.
Wellington: Ryan Lewis, Andy Robertson, Scott Holland, Daniel Short, Craig Mawford, Simon Ingram, Andy Butler, Craig Herrod, Darren Stone, Luke Desave, Shane Kingston. Subs: Mark Thompson (used), Jack Adams (not used).

Toolstation League premier division: Wellington 3, Dawlish Town 1
A STUNNING first-half performance set Wellington on the way to completing the double over highly-rated Dawlish at the Playing Field.
Despite a string of players carrying injuries, Leigh Robinson’s side shocked the visitors by scoring three times in the opening 25 minutes to virtually kill off the game.
Wellington went ahead after eight minutes as Craig Mawford and Luke Desave combined down the right and, when Mawford pulled the ball back to Simon Ingram, the skipper drove home a low shot off the post.
Ten minutes later it was 2-0 as a smart piece of defending by Graham Burne saw him feed Ingram, whose ball over the top sent Darren Stone racing clear to lob keeper Jason Kinsman with Dawlish appealing in vain for offside.
Wellington were now in rampant mood and increased their lead when Mawford played in midfielder Andy Butler to drill the ball across Kinsman and into the net.
Dawlish came close to pulling a goal back on several occasions and eventually did so ten minutes into the second half as the division’s leading scorer Joe Bushin headed home a cross from the left.
But any hopes of a revival disappeared as the game wore on and it was the home side who created the better openings with Stone and Mawford both going close.
Wellington: Ryan Lewis, Andy Robertson, Scott Holland, Daniel Short, Graham Burne, Craig Mawford, Simon Ingram, Andy Butler, Craig Herrod, Darren Stone, Luke Desave. Subs: Mark Thompson, Jack Adams, Shane Kingston (not used).

Toolstation League Premier Division: Wellington 1, Sherborne Town 1
INJURY-RAVAGED Wellington made it four points out of a possible six over Easter with a lacklustre draw at home to Sherborne on Monday.
The match had a distinct end-of-season feel to it with Leigh Robinson’s side limping home at the end to earn a point.
Sherborne, promoted from the first division with Wellington last season, started more brightly but it was Wellington who took the lead against the run of play after 28 minutes.
The visitors made a hash of dealing with Craig Herrod’s low cross and striker Luke Desave pounced to smash the loose ball into the net.
In a disjointed game, it was little surprise that more slack defending was the cause of Sherborne’s equaliser four minutes before half-time.
Visiting skipper Steve Burton picked up a misplaced clearance to slip the ball through for Phil Ormrod to make no mistake.
Chances were few and far between in a scrappy second half, the best of them falling to Richard Parkinson, whose volley was brilliantly saved by keeper Ryan Lewis.
Wellington: Ryan Lewis, Graham Burne, Daniel Short, Scott Holland, Jack Adams, Jon Crowford, Simon Ingram, Andy Butler, Craig Herrod, Craig Mawford, Luke Desave. Subs: Mark Thompson, Shane Kingston (used).

Toolstation League premier division: Devizes Town 0, Wellington 5.

WELLINGTON romped to an easy win away to bottom club Devizes in Wiltshire on Saturday.

They took an early lead when Andy Butler bundled the ball over the line from close range and went further ahead through a spectacular own goal.

Shane Kingston scored the third before Luke Desave struck the best goal of the goal with a fierce low drive to make the half-time score 4-0.

Wellington increased their lead early in the second half, Simon Ingram scoring from the penalty spot after a foul on Desave.

And Devizes saw their day go from bad to worse when they had a player sent off for a bad tackle on Craig Herrod.

Toolstation League Premier Division: Frome Town 1, Wellington 0
WELLINGTON were desperately unlucky not to come away from Frome Town with a point on Tuesday night.
Again hit by injuries, they gave a gritty display and did everything but score in a stirring late rally.
Wellington defended well against the highly-rated Frome side, who have ambitions of Southern League football, and restricted them to only a couple of half-chances in the first half.
And there was controversy over what proved to be the winning goal after 63 minutes as the referee over-ruled his well-positioned assistant who had flagged for a goal kick.
The resulting corner was headed goalwards and dropped to defender Matt Cowler, who cleverly flicked it into the net.
That goal sparked Wellington into life and they pummelled the Frome goal without being able to score the equaliser their efforts deserved.
Craig Herrod blasted inches over before defender Scott Holland brought two fine saves out of keeper Richard Fey and had another effort cleared off the line.
Skipper Simon Ingram was also denied by a goalline clearance as Wellington were left to reflect on what might have been.
Wellington: Ryan Lewis, Andy Robertson, Daniel Short, Scott Holland, Jack Adams, Mark Thompson, Simon Ingram, Andy Butler, Craig Herrod, Shane Kingston, Luke Desave. Sub: Darren Stone (for Thompson 50 mins).

Welton Rovers 1, Wellington 4
DEPLETED Wellington produced an outstanding team display to end Welton Rovers’ long unbeaten record on Saturday.
Manager Leigh Robinson was able to field a squad of only 12 fit players against a team who had not lost since they were thumped 5-0 at Wellington on November 8.
Leading the way was striker Luke Desave, who has only just forced his way into the side but played a starring role in three of the goals.
Wellington got off to a dream start when Desave was judged to have been fouled as he challenged for a loose ball inside the box and skipper Simon Ingram coolly tucked away the resulting penalty.
The visitors who increased their lead after 32 minutes.
Ingram chipped the ball forward to Craig Herrod who brought it under control with his chest before beating a defender and producing a finish of sheer quality.
And the visitors pulled further away when Desave got on the scoresheet just before the break, hooking the ball into the roof of the net from an Ingram corner.
Wellington were expecting a torrid second half but instead increased their lead after 55 minutes thanks to more good work by Desave who cleverly created an opening for Mark Thompson to beat keeper Tristan Westlake.
Welton did manage a consolation goal 18 minutes from time when a cross found Craig Coles in space on the left to fire home.
Wellington: Ryan Lewis, Andy Robertson, Daniel Short, Scott Holland, Jack Adams, Mark Thompson, Simon Ingram, Andy Butler, Craig Herrod, Shane Kingston, Luke Desave. Substitute, Darren Stone (used).

WELLINGTON are away to Devizes on Saturday and entertain Sherborne Town on Easter Monday (3.00).