December 29th, 2006
AFTER six successive wins, Wellington had to settle from a draw from their two homes games over the Christmas weekend.
And in both cases the result – 1-1 with Almondsbury on Saturday and 2-2 with Bridport on Boxing Day, was fair as Kevin Evans’ side gave disappointing second-half displays.
But at least the draws extended Wellington’s unbeaten run to an impressive nine matches, eight of them in the league to help them climb up the first division table.
The Bridport game was a ding-dong affair with precious little Christmas spirit shown by either side.
Wellington created the better openings in the first half but had to wait until the 34th minute to take the lead thanks to a superb piece of opportunism by skipper Nick Woon.
There seemed no threat as the home side gave away possession from a quickly taken throw but the experienced striker nipped in between a defender and keeper to score from a near-impossible angle.
It was Woon’s 13th goal of another impressive season and atoned for his post-match dismissal against Almondsbury just a few days earlier.
Home fans must have hoped the goal would have set up another Wellington win but Bridport were the better side after the break.
They drew level from the penalty spot through John Ritchie after 55 minutes as Daniel Short was judged to have brought down ex-Taunton Town player Martin Underhay.
And they went close on several other occasions before Wellington got back in front in controversial circumstances after 78 minutes as a Simon Ingram corner was diverted on to the post by Woon and keeper Martin Peters was judged to have carried the rebound over the line.
The decision incensed Bridport, who had to wait until two minutes from time to get back on level terms when Wellington allowed a corner to drop in their area and Ritchie volleyed home from close range.
It was a similar story against Almondsbury on Saturday as Wellington got off to a flying start with Woon again giving them the lead with a goal out of nothing.
The skipper had his back to goal a long way out but swivelled to send spectacular dipping shot into the net.
Almondsbury almost equalised when Russell Church headed wide with the goal at his mercy while Woon headed a corner against the post at the other end.
The visitors started the second half brightly and drew level after 56 minutes with a well-worked move ending with a fine header by Daniel Cockram.
Both sides pressed in vain for the winner and the game had an explosive end as the usually-placid Woon received a red card when the players were leaving the pitch for comments he made to the referee.
Wellington (v Almondsbury): Locke, Elsley, Baggaley, Short, Markham, Blenkinsop, Butler, Mawford, Herrod, Holland, Woon. Substitutes, Ingram (used), Honeywell (not used).
Wellington (v Bridport): Locke, Elsley, Holland, Short, Markham, Blenkinsop, Butler, Ingram, Herrod, Mawford, Woon. Substitutes, Legg (used), Honeywell (not used).
November 24th, 2006
Toolstation League division one:
Wellington 2, Shepton Mallet 0
WELLINGTON climbed further up the division one table with their second victory in five days at the Playing Field last Saturday.
Kevin Evans’ side played some of their best football of the season so far and are finally displaying the sort of form the team – on paper – should be producing.
Although a poor Shepton side picked up in the second half, the result was never in doubt as Wellington dominated proceedings.
They took control from the kick-off with both Craig Herrod and Joe Dakwa going close early on before they went ahead in the 18th minute as Simon Ingram curled in a free-kick off the post.
Wellington had a let-off three minutes later when David Last shot wide from a good position but that was Shepton’s only threat of the half.
Dakwa and Daniel Short both produced decent efforts before another flowing move resulted in a second goal in stoppage time.
Greg Blenkinsop found Nick Woon out on the right and his cross saw Dakwa score with a stooping header.
Shepton threatened occasionally after the break with two long-range efforts from Paul Leatherland, who then sent a 73rd minute free-kick cannoning back off the bar.
But it was Wellington who created the better chances without being able to add to their tally.
Dakwa and Woon both went close on two occasions and they also hit the woodwork as they completed a satisfactory day at the office.
Wellington: Locke, Elsley, Holland, Short, Markham, Blenkinsop, Butler, Ingram, Herrod, Woon, Dakwa. Substitutes, Mawford and Crowford (used), Anthony (not used). Match sponsor: Wellington Slabs.
November 2nd, 2006
Toolstation League Division One: Clevedon United 2, Wellington 2
WELLINGTON bounced back from two successive home defeats with a hard-earned draw at the Hand Stadium last night (Wednesday).
But they will consider it two points dropped rather than one gained after they led 2-0 after only 16 minutes.
Wellington went ahead after quarter of an hour when Nick Woon rose at the near post to head home a Jeff Bresland corner.
And Bresland was the supplier again almost immediately as he fed Craig Herrod, who scored with a low drive.
That was the signal for Clevedon to step up a gear but the Wellington defence held firm until Russell Gregory scored in the fourth minute of first-half injury time.
And Gregory made the scores level ten minutes into the second half from the penalty spot.
The second half was a bad tempered affair, culminating with Gregory receiving a red card for pushing Andy Butler in the dying minutes.
October 28th, 2006
Toolstation League first division: Wellington 0, Clyst Rovers 2
WELLINGTON endured another frustrating afternoon as they went down to defeat by lowly Clyst Rovers at the Playing Field last Saturday.
Admitedly Clyst are on a revival at present, having thumped Bradford Town 6-0 in their previous game, but Wellington should still have won a game which saw them pay dearly for poor finishing and sheer bad luck in front of goal.
The home side had a let-off after only eight minutes as Peter Darke got in behind their defence and lobbed keeper Shaun Locke only for the ball to bounce back off the bar.
But, after that, Wellington bossed the first half and should have gone in at the break comfortably ahead after creating a string of chances.
Clyst keeper Dan Barker pulled off good saves from Shaun Anthony, Simon Ingram and Nick Woon, who also chipped just over from a good position.
And they were made to pay for the misses on the stroke of half-time as a long ball saw Locke slice his clearance straight into the path of Tim Cridland, who gratefully capitalised on the mistake.
In the second half, Wellington launched attack after attack on the Clyst goal but it was just not to be their day.
They seemed certain to equalise only two minutes after the break as Jon Crowford’s cross was headed down by Woon to Shaun Anthony, whose fierce shot cannoned against the inside of the post and out again, eventually spinning wildly out for a goal kick.
And they suffered a similar fate 30 minutes later as, this time, Ingram’s cross was turned against the upright by central defender Dan Short.
Again, Wellington were made to suffer as a goal out of nothing with ten minutes remaining clinched the points for Clyst.
This time, Joe Dakwa was robbed of the ball in midfield – with Wellington appealing in vain for a foul – and Aaron Carpenter sent a stunning 35-yard shot sailing over Locke and into the net.
Wellington staged a late rally to claw their way back into the game but they were again left to ponder what might have been.
Wellington: Locke, Elsley, Holland, Short, Markham, Crowford, Butler, Ingram, Dakwa, Woon, Anthony. Substitutes, Herrod, Nott and Bryant (all used).
August 31st, 2006
Toolstation League Division One: Weston St Johns 0, Wellington 0.
WELLINGTON gave a much improved performance as they were held to a goalless draw at St Johns on Tuesday.
New boss Kevin Evans was greeted by a set of stocks emblazoned with his name on his first return to the club where he was chairman, manager and secretary last season.
But it was Evans who nearly had the last laugh as his side bounced back from their defeat at Longwell Green to create all the first-half chances.
Greg Blenkinsop, playing against his former side, Nick Woon and Leon Taswell all went close early on.
But the closest the visitors came to scoring was five minutes before the break when Taswell rose to head a Scott Holland cross against the bar.
Wellington were almost made to pay for not killing off their opponents in the first half as St Johns almost scored twice just after the interval.
First, James Gustard was left completely unmarked to poke a free-kick just wide and then another former St Johns player, keeper Shaun Locke, produced a magnificent flying save to keep out a Gustard volley.
Both sides pressed to break the deadlock with Woon just failing to control a through ball from Simon Elsley, who also saw a cross hit the top of the bar.
At the other end, Locke produced another smart stop from sub Chris Cullis. And, in the gathering gloom, Woon almost snatched the points with a powerful shot which was smothered by keeper Matt Jakeman.
The Wellington line-up included midfielder Shane Gage, who has rejoined the club, although they lost influential defender Mark Hughes with an ankle injury early in the second half.
Wellington: Shaun Locke, Mark Hughes, Mark Fitzgerald, Adam Markham, Simon Elsley, Andy Butler, Greg Blenkinsop, Shane Gage, Scott Holland, Nick Woon, Leon Taswell. Subs: Greg Jackson, Richard Tutill (both used), Steve Shrubb (not used).
August 28th, 2006
Toolstation League first division: Longwell Green 2, Wellington 0
WELLINGTON’S suffered a disappointing defeat at Longwell Green on Saturday, August 26th.
After two wins in their opening three games, Kevin Evans’ side went into the match with their confidence high.
But they were outplayed by Longwell Green, who scored a goal in each half.
Wellington: Locke, Jenkins, Markham, Fitzgerald, Elsley, Tutill, Butler, Blenkinsop, Holland, Woon, Taswell. Substitutes, Coleman and Jackson (used) Dawes (not used).
August 20th, 2006
Toolstation League first division: Almondsbury 0, Wellington 1
WELLINGTON made it two wins out of three with a hard-earned victory at Almondsbury last Saturday.
The only goal of the game was scored just before half-time by Simon Elsley.
Next Saturday, August 26th, Wellington are away to Longwell Green and the following Tuesday they travel to Weston St Johns (6.30).
August 13th, 2006
A PENALTY four minutes from time robbed new-look Wellington of the point they deserved as the new season got under way at Portishead last Saturday.
A game of few incidents was heading for a draw – which would have been the fair result – when the home side snatched victory right at the death.
A long clearance from keeper Robin Moore sailed over the Wellington defence and as Dave Pettitt ran on to the ball, he was flattened by Moore’s opposite number, young Shaun Locke, and the referee pointed to the spot even though the ball eventually ended up in the net.
Striker James Clarke stepped up to the send the penalty kick into the top corner – and there was no way back for Wellington.
August 11th, 2006
ALL the preparations are over, the pre-season friendlies are complete … and now Wellington are ready for the new season in the Toolstation League's first division.
It has been a busy summer for the club with the appointment of new first-team and reserves managers – Kevin Evans and John Norman.
The close season has also seen the enlargement and decoration of the changing rooms.
And the first team squad will be wearing new kit – sponsored by AJ Shire Electrics – along with tracksuits (Weldec Painting and Decorating) and training tops (RW Gale Surfacing).
They get under way with a potentially tricky game at Portishead on Saturday, August 12, and then make the short trip to Elmore on Saturday, August 15.
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July 26th, 2006
Wellington started their pre-season friendlies with a 1-1 draw away to Somerset County League side Worle.
New manager Kevin Evans used 18 players during the game with a number of new faces lining up alongside the majority of last season’s squad.
Wellington bossed the first half without being able to score and it was Worle who came closest to scoring with a shot by Ian Leadbitter, which hit the post.
It was a similar story after the break with the home side going ahead with a long-range effort by Barry Flynn after 73 minutes.
Wellington hit back to equalise six minutes later with an equally well-struck shot by Simon Elsley.
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