Wellington AFC

PLEASE note that Wellington Football Club now has a NEW website at www.wellingtonafc.co.uk

With immediate effect, all of the latest club news, match reports and other information can be found at the new site.

Designed by David Rodger, it features a range of added extras, including separate sections for all of our senior and youth teams.

Simply add the site to your favourites and please remember to register so that you can have full access and also receive the very latest information on Wellington AFC.

So remember … we are now at www.wellingtonafc.co.uk

WE are holding a special meeting in the clubhouse next Tuesday to discuss future plans for our club.

Chairman Ken Bird said: “The past couple of seasons have not been easy and so the management committee decided to get everyone together to discuss how we should move forward.

“We made a heavy financial loss last year and our first-team has struggled in ther premier division this season.

“But we also have many positive aspects to our club – for example, our financial situation is now much more stable and we have a thriving youth set-up.

“This get-together will give people a chance to have their say on our future.”

The meeting, in the clubhouse from 7.45pm, is open to all club members and will be followed by a presentation on the club’s new website – wellingtonafc.co.uk

Toolstation League premier division: Wells City 3, Wellington 0

STRUGGLING Wellington were comfortably beaten at Wells City on Saturday.

Wells created the better openings of the first half, going ahead just three minutes before the break.

Ben Robertson’s header from a corner was cleared off the line but the ball fell to Matt Hurley, who scored from close range.

Wellington fell further behind after 55 minutes when Mark Randall fired into the roof of the net.

The visitors almost pulled a goal back with a shot from Mark Armstrong, which smacked against the bar.

But they conceded a third goal with 15 minutes remaining. Wells were awarded a penalty for handball and although keeper Ryan Lewis saved Steve Murray’s spot-kick, Olly Edwards scored from the rebound.

Wellington’s day went from bad to worse in the dying minutes when defender Nathan Best was sent off.

This Saturday, Wellington are home to Bitton (3pm).

Wellington Reserves gave a fine show at home to third placed Sidmouth Town in the Premier Division of the Devon and Exeter League last weekend and although they let slip a two goal half time advantage a draw was about fair based on the whole game’s play.

Wellington went into the game in last place and Sidmouth in third, but based on the action in the first half you would have thought it was roles reversed for Wellington in general and Joe Enticott in particular savaged the visitors as they played as if they were still on the minibus that brought the Devon side and a good number of fans with them.

Sidmouth were limited to playing the route one method when playing up the notorious Wellington Playing Field hill and this was no problem to a Wellington back four of James Garrad, Darren Mace, Mitch Woodgate and Chris McKee who all mopped up the aerial bombardment that came its way and distributed the ball forward well.

Wellington went ahead on twenty minutes when a good ball forward was thumped home by Joe Enticott as he evaded the pedestrian Sidmouth back line and scored well, he repeated the dose just before the break and Wellington entered the break in the ascendancy.

Sidmouth must have received a rocket from their boss as they played much better in the second half when going downhill; they did not let Wellington get forward very much and grabbed two goals when a firmly struck shot was parried by Chris Cherry in the Tangerines goal and it was edged in by a Sidmouth attacker.

A cracking strike from midfield levelled matters up at which point Darren Mace was sent off for bringing down a man and as he was seen as being the last man he was shown red; the baiting from the away dugout and travelling fans for a sending off was not called for and made for a fiery last few minutes – that the game ended level was a fair outcome.

Wellington have no game next weekend and are home to league leaders Seaton Town on Wednesday 16th March from 7.30pm

Toolstation League premier division: Wellington 1, Bristol Manor Farm 4.

WELLINGTON conceded the double to Manor Farm at the Playing Field yesterday.

They fell behind after only four minutes as a low cross was turned in by an unmarked Troy Simpson.

Manor Farm scored twice in three minutes after the break – both through substitute Jamie Adams.

Wellington did pull a goal back after 73 minutes through substitute Oli but Manor Farm had the final say, Adams scoring from close range to complete his hat-trick.

For the second time this season Wellington Reserves saw their Devon and Exeter League Premier Division match at Topsham Town called off due to a waterlogged pitch, having seen the original date back in November be the start of their trials and tribulations with the weather this season as it was the first match to be postponed due to climatic issues.

Heavy rain through Friday night continued into Saturday morning and this brought about a midday call off; this most testing of seasons is going to go on and on at this rate as this makes for two matches to have to reschedule on top of a series of thirteen matches that are all in close date proximity to each other between next weekend and the end of April.

The team are up against it to get the season completed at home and an away postponement does not help matters at all.

Sidmouth Town visit North Street this Saturday for a 3.00pm KO.

Budleigh Salterton Reserves completed their third successive Devon and Exeter League Premier Division double over Wellington when they took away a 3-1 win from North Street last Wednesday evening in a match that Wellington never really got into and after the pleasing way the side had played against Willand Reserves the previous weekend it was even more disappointing to see.
 
Budleigh – whose 1st XI play in a division that is on a par with the one below where Wellington’s play – raced into a lead pretty much from the off and were 3-0 up by the break as they picked holes in Wellington’s back line which showed several changes in personnel from the Willand match such is the nature of midweek selection patterns due to work and other commitments.
 
Tom Phillips came on as a sub for Wellington and got one back for the Tangerines second string, but it did not signal a comeback of Herculean proportions and the game was played out to a 3-1 win for the visitors.
 
As always it will be interesting to see what sort of result Budleigh return at the weekend as the feeling was this side, whilst having a hold over Wellington with six wins in six matches, was stronger than what will show up on Saturday coming.

WELLINGTON Reserves went down to a disappointing 3-1 defeat by Budleigh Salterton Reserves at the Playing Field last night.

Wellington never recovered from the shock of going a goal down inside the first minute after they lost the ball straight from the kick-off.

Although the home side dominated the next half-hour, some poor defending saw them concede two more goals before half-time to virtually end the game as a contest.

The second half was a scrappy affair although Wellington did pull a goal back after 54 minutes as Tom Phillips shot home after the Budleigh keeper had dropped a corner.

On Saturday, Wellington Reserves are away to Topsham Town while the first team are home to Manor Farm in the Toolstation Premier (3pm).

Toolstation premier division: Corsham Town 1, Wellington 1.

WELLINGTON finally clawed themselves off the bottom of the table with a hard-earned point at Corsham yesterday.

Manager Colin Merrick was unable to name any substitutes but his bare 11 performed like heroes in the heavy conditions and could even have snatched a shock victory.

Wellington found themselves under the cosh in the first half – defending valiantly to keep the scoreline goalless at the interval.

Wellington went ahead on the hour when Craig Mawford curled a superb free-kick around the wall.

Corsham drew level in controversial fashion six minutes later as keeper Ryan Lewis pulled off a flying save to keep out Aaron Ledgister’s shot but, when he caught the ball as it dropped, the assistant referee ruled it had crossed the line.