Wellington AFC

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!”

Toolstation League division one: Cadbury Heath 1, Wellington 3

WELLINGTON returned to the top of the division one table with victory at Cadbury Heath last Saturday.

They got off to a blistering start and should have sewn the game up before half-time.

Within the first six minutes, Craig Mawford saw a free-kick pushed round the post by keeper Simon Crawford and then Craig Herrod was denied twice by Crawford when he seemed odds-on to open the scoring.

Crawford kept his side in the game with two more smart stops before the break to keep out shots from Alex Rudd and Shane Kingston.

But it was Cadbury Heath who almost took the lead in the first minute of the second half when Jamie Bryant was sent racing clear and beat keeper Ryan Lewis only for his shot to roll agonisingly wide of the post.

At the other end, Wellington had appeals for a penalty for handball turned down before they finally broke the deadlock with 13 minutes remaining.

Substitute Dave Anthony played in Kingston and the lively striker cleverly flicked the ball past Crawford before knocking it into an empty net.

The Cadbury Heath cause was not helped three minutes later when they had sub Lee Gitson sent off for using foul and abusive language to the referee.

And Wellington wrapped up the game with two more goals before the final whistle.

First, Kingston was brought down in the box and while Simon Ingram’s penalty was saved by Crawford, the skipper followed up to net.

And then man-of-the-match Kingston sent sub Nick Woon away on his own to calmly round Crawford and make it 3-0.

There was still time for Cadbury Heath to pull a goal back in the sixth minute of injury time, Marcus Doharty scoring from the penalty spot after what had looked an innocuous challenge on Bryant by Scott Holland.

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

The squash team fixtures can be found on the notice board in the club house or for the computer literate they are on the somerset squash web site – http://www.somersetsquash.co.uk/

FA Carlsberg Vase second qualifying round: Penzance 1, Wellington 4

WELLINGTON earned a home tie against Toolstation premier side Hallen in the first round proper of the FA Carlsberg Vase with victory in Cornwall on Saturday.

It was the visitors who went ahead after 24 minutes after Nick Woon had seen his snapshot well saved by keeper Craig Nicholls.

Skipper Simon Ingram swung over the resulting corner from the left and central defender Daniel Short rose unchallenged to head home.

Eight minutes later it was 2-0 as Matt Fowler’s long throw was knocked back by Alex Rudd for Craig Herrod to drill a first-time shot low under Nicholls.

Penzance could have clawed their way back into the game before the break when Stuart Reynolds was sent racing clear but young keeper Ryan Lewis, who has been in such fine form, produced an excellent save.

Five minutes into the second half, Penzance’s inability to defend set plays was evident again as defender Matt Fowler ran in unmarked to head home another Ingram corner.

And they almost made it 4-0 nine minutes later when Rudd
saw a shot cannon back off the foot of the post.

Wellington were not to be denied, however, and Ingram got on the scoresheet himself in the 73rd minute with a free-kick from out wide on the right, which evaded everyone to end up in the net.

Penzance pulled a goal back five minutes later with a spectacular overhead kick from sub Jamie Devine but by then the tie was dead and buried.

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

WELLINGTON Reserves continued their excellent start to life in the Devon and Exeter League premier division on Saturday.

A late goal from substitute Ashley Gaines earned them a 2-1 victory over Topsham Town at the Playing Field.

Their goal came from the penalty spot and was scored by Craig Aspin.

WELLINGTON maintained top slot in the Toolstation League’s first division with a thumping 6-0 home win over Weston St Johns last night (Wednesday).

Alex Rudd opened the scoring after 11 minutes, having been sent racing clear by Simon Ingram, and Craig Mawford made it 2-0 ten minutes later with a fine individual effort.

Wellington virtually sewed the game up after 37 minutes when new signing Shane Kingston deftly turned home a low cross by Herrod.

St Johns were given a lifeline just before the break when they were awarded a penalty but keeper Ryan Lewis pulled off a cracking save to deny Ryan Havard.

Wellington were in rampant mood after the break and could have ended the game in double figures.

They made it 4-0 three minutes into the second half when an Ingram corner was headed into his own net by a visiting defender and Rudd bagged his second midway through half, rounding the keeper having again been sent clear by Ingram.

Substitute Nick Woon scored the sixth five minutws from time, netting from close range after a shot by Rudd had been parried.

WELLINGTON went back to the top of the Toolstation League’s Division One with a 3-0 victory at home to Hengrove Athletic, who started the day in second.

That was despite having to play nearly all of the second half with ten men after having striker Shaun Anthony sent off for an off-the-ball incident.

Craig Herrod gave the hosts the lead eight minutes before the break, heading home a corner from Simon Ingram.

Anthony was given his marching orders early in the second half but Wellington, with keeper Ryan Lewis making a couple of smart saves, kept their noses in front before extending the lead six minutes from time when Ingram curled home a free kick.

Three minutes later, new signing Shane Kingston made it 3-0 after converting Alex Rudd’s cross.

Wellington are home to Weston St Johns on Wednesday (7.45) and travel to play Penzance in the FA Vase on Saturday.

WELLINGTON have pulled off a coup by signing prolific striker Shane Kingston.

Kingston, who was with the club early in his career, was with Bideford last season and has also played for Bridgwater Town.

Having just returned from travelling the world, he was targeted by a number of clubs but has opted for a return to Wellington.

He signed on the dotted line last night (Thursday) and is included in the squad for tomorrow’s home game against Hengrove Athletic.

WELLINGTON beat Ilminster Town from the Somerset County League 1-0 in a keenly-contested friendly at the Playing Field last night (Tuesday).

The only goal of the game came ten minutes from time when Jack Adams, who has rejoined the club from Bishops Lydeard, rose to head home a Greg Blenkinsop cross.

The Wellington side included prolific striker Shane Kingston, who enjoyed a successful spell with the club early in his career.

Kingston was with premier division Bideford last season but has just returned from travelling the world and has yet to sign for a club.

FOLLOWING the first team’s excellent start to the season, Wellington Reserves have taken a leaf out of their book.

Newly-promoted to the Devon and Exeter Premier, they moved to the top of the league with a stunning 8-0 victory at previously-unbeaten Heavitree on Saturday.

Wellington killed the game off in the first half by scoring five times through James Baker (two), Craig Aspin, Jack Adams and Cameron Nott.

And they completed the rout after the interval with further goals from Baker, Adams and Aspin (penalty).

The Reserves are without a game this Saturday.