Wellington AFC

The backlog of home games that the Reserves have is going to ease now that the Devon and Exeter League has issued a set of dates that brings forward a number of such matches.

The backlog will start to ease with the visit of Clyst Valley on Wednesday 16th February for a 7.30pm KO.

Toolstation League premier division: Larkhall Athletic 3, Wellington 2.

WELLINGTON suffered yet another cruel odd-goal defeat as Larkhall moved three points clear at the top of the Toolstation premier last night.

The visitors, struggling at the bottom of the table, took a shock lead five minutes before half-time as Mark Clunie played the ball through for Luke Desave to produce a cool finish.

The second half got off to an explosive start with three goals in the first five minutes.

Jamie Lyons equalised for Larkhall with Wellington appealing in vain for offside, but then Alex Pounde restored the visitors’ lead after a mistake by the home keeper.

Almost immediately, Larkhall drew level again as a shot by Tyler Sibbick was deflected into the net.

After 63 minutes, Larkhall scored what proved to be the winner when Sibbick was played in to produce a clinical finish.

Wellington are in league action again on Saturday when they entertain Street at the Playing Field (3.00).

WELLINGTON Football Club are launching their social propgramme for 2011 with two events next month.

Saturday, February 5th – 60s 70s and 80s disco (fancy dress optional) with the R & S Roadshow.

Tickets are £3 members, £4 non-members from Keith Davey on 07977 924707 or on the door.

Saturday, February 19th – Valentine’s Dance with Home Brew.

Tickets only £3 members, £5 non-members from Andy Thorne on 07841 330543 or on the door.

Come along and enjoy the party!

Toolstation League premier division: Hallen 4, Wellington 0.

WELLINGTON are staring relegation in the face after going down to yet another defeat yesterday – this time away to fellow strugglers Hallen.

The first half was an even affair but it was Hallen who got the vital breakthrough as Joshua Digby played in Ashley Bennett and the striker was brought down as he rounded keeper Ryan Lewis.

James Clarke gave the home side the lead from a twice-taken spot-kick.

The turning point of the game came early in the second half as a long ball forward from Hallen was held up by the heavy pitch and, as Lewis hesitated, Bennett pounced to lob the keeper.

As the Wellington heads dropped, Hallen defended stoutly and always looked threatening on the break.

They added further goals through substitutes Tom Collett and Aaron Wilson while also seeing two efforts cleared off the line and another rebound off the post.

A frozen pitch scuppered Wellington Reserves in their attempt to go for a third Devon and Exeter League Premier Division win in a row – at home to bottom side Exmouth Amateurs last weekend; a frosted pitch with a mottled appearance was never going to thaw in time for the match to start on time and sadly the decision had to be taken to postpone.

Wellington Reserves are now really battling against time to get a dozen home games in between now and and the Easter weekend which is the cut off point before the cricket season starts.

Les Phillips Cup first round: Radstock Town 2, Wellington 1.
A LATE goal knocked Wellington out of the Les Phillips Cup at Radstock last night.
Wellington played some of their best football of the season but fell behind to penalty after the break for a foul by Jack Adams.
The visitors equalised ten minutes later – also from the penalty spot with skipper Simon Ingram scoring after Craig Herrod had been brought down.
But Radstock scored the winner in the dying minutes as the ball was bundled home from a corner.
Wellington have a crucial relegation battle at Hallen on Saturday and are then away to Larkhall Athletic next Wednesday.

Toolstation League premier division: Wellington 1, Willand Rovers 1.

A FREAK goal by Luke Desave deep into injury time earned bottom club Wellington a point at home to high-flying Willand Rovers at the Playing Field yesterday.

Colin Merrick was taking charge of the side for the first time following the resignation of manager Gary Domone.

And the former Taunton Blackbrook boss saw a huge improvement in their display compared with the crushing 6-0 home thrashing by Brislington which led to Domone’s departure.

In fairness, Willand – among the favourites to lift the title – were the better side for much of the game despite playing the last half-hour with only ten men after the sending off of Danny Jee.

But Wellington have had some cruel luck this season and perhaps deserved a long-overdue piece of good fortune.

Keeper Ryan Lewis kept them in the game with some sharp saves in the first half but Willand broke the deadlock right on half-time.

The home defence failed to deal with a ball into the box and Paul Pocock – playing against his home town club – showed typical persistence to score with a shot on the turn.

With both sides struggling to come to terms with the fierce crossfield wind, chances were few and far between.

But the game exploded on the hour as Jee saw red after lunging into Craig Mawford with an over-the-top tackle which led to the defender being carried off.

Wellington threw men forward in search of an equaliser but it looked like they would suffer their 11th odd-goal defeat in 18 matches.

Yet with Merrick and assistant Shaun O’Leary roaring them on from the technical area, they equalised in the fifth minute of added time.

The ball came out to Desave wide out on the right and his cross-shot completely deceived Brian Cann and beat the keeper at his near post to spark wild celebrations by the home players and supporters.

It may have been a season-changing moment – Merrick and Wellington will hope so.

Wellington: Ryan Lewis, Craig Mawford, Martin White, Mark Armstrong, Jack Adams, Alex Pounde, Mark Clunie, Simon Ingram, Scott Holland, Luke Desave, Craig Herrod. Substitutes: Nathan Best and Phil Hartnup (used), Brian Binnie (not used). Attendance: 92.

A robust and highly pleasing result and performance by Wellington Reserves in deepest, darkest Devon saw them beat current Devon and Exeter League champions Thorverton on their own patch last weekend; that the home side scored three goals does rather flatter them as they were awarded one of the most dreadful penalty decisions you will ever see, were gifted an equaliser and they found Wellington static at the back to give them a third – really Thorverton had the look of fallen champions.

Wellington delivered a fine defensive response in the first half and they could have been out of sight as early as the break as Craig Aspin was well saved on several occasions by the home keeper – Aspin tried to chip the ball over the keeper when he was on the deck and somehow was foiled, but he kept going and unleashed a couple of a stinging shots later in the half.

The breakthrough came when Danny Thomas rose to head home a well delivered Wellington corner and this was reward for good all round play by the Tangerines second string.

A thunderbolt of a shot from midfielder Chris McKee doubled Wellington’s lead; he had a fine game for Wellington in the middle of the park and his tough tackling style earned excellent possession all game long.

Then came Wellington’s dodgy spell as the referee made a penalty award that was just plain wrong for hand ball against Tangerines skipper Steve Luxon who went into the book for his protests and when Chris Cherry came out of his goal to clear the ball he missed and presented an open goal to Thorverton to get back on level terms with; they did not deserve to be so.

Wellington had to regroup and come up with a response and it came in the form of a second thunderbolt of the game – this time Nathan Thomas rifled one in off the post and left the Thorverton keeper beaten by a rocket for the second time; for one who had a lot to say he certainly zipped up thereafter!

Thomas complimented his all round play with this goal and is was great to have his elder brother Danny back in the team following a bad broken wrist and even John Norman made a comeback as he played the last thirty minutes or so at centre back following a torn hamstring that he had suffered at Thorverton in a Cup match last August.

Ashley Gaines made it four for Wellington with a near post goal and that had surely sealed the game and the points for Dave Thomas’ side, but Thorverton had time to loop one in and make it three for them and actually had the ball in the back of the net for a fourth time, but they were well off side by the time the ball had been hit.

Wellington took three valuable points home with them and have a home game at last next weekend and it is a most important one as bottom side Exmouth Amateurs visit North Street for a 2.15pm KO.

Wellington are now 13th on 13 points and will hope to be three more points better off by 4.30pm next Saturday and well into mid table by then, but there is such a jam in the middle of the division that one result sends you high and a loss sends you way back down again.

This game will be the last early KO for this season – there is no game on Saturday 29th January and then it is back to 3.00pm when the team go to league leaders Seaton on Saturday 5th February.

FORMER Taunton Blackbrook boss Colin Merrick has taken over as manager of Toolstation premier strugglers Wellington until at least the end of January.

Merrick has been placed in charge after the shock resignation of Gary Domone at the weekend.

“We are delighted to have someone of Colin’s experience to call on,” said a club spokesman.

“He has been helping to run the side and knows the players well.

“Colin has agreed to take over for the rest of the month while we all consider our options.”

Wellington called an emergency management committee meeting to discuss the situation on Sunday night and club officials met with Merrick on Tuesday.

He had been due to take charge of the side against Bishop Sutton tonight (Wednesday) but it was called off because of a waterlogged Playing Field pitch.

His first game will now be at home to third-placed Willand Rovers on Saturday (3pm).

GARY Domone has tendered his resignation as manager of Wellington, currently bottom of the Toolstation League’s premier division.

The former Taunton Town boss joined the club from premier rivals Hallen earlier in the season but has been unable to turn around their fortunes and saw them lose 6-0 at home to Brislington on Saturday.

A statement issued by the club said: “We are shocked and disappointed by Gary’s decision to resign on Sunday.

“We had hoped that his might have been a long-term appointment for Wellington AFC but it was obviously not to be.

“Saturday’s heavy defeat – and circumstances surrounding it – proved to be the final straw and he does not feel able to carry on in the job.

“We would like to thank him for all his hard work during his short time in charge and wish him all the best for the future.”

Domone took the reins at Wellington on October 27 and has managed the side for just seven games in his two month spell.

Six of those matches resulted in defeat for the Tangerines while the solitary win was an emphatic 5-2 victory over Welton Rovers.

Wellington called an emergency management committee meeting to discuss the situation last night.

As a result, former Taunton Blackbrook manager Colin Merrick, who has been helping Domone run the side, has been asked to take charge for Wednesday’s home game against league leaders Bishop Sutton.