Toolstation League premier division: Wellington 4, Bishop Sutton 2.
WELLINGTON’S first league win since October 10 fired them out of the premier division relegation zone at the Playing Field last night.
The result stretched their unbeaten run to three matches and moved them up four places in the table.
With the kick-off delayed after Bishop Sutton were held up by a motorway accident, Wellington had to overcome the loss of skipper Simon Ingram, who pulled up in the warm-up and could take no part in the game.
And things went from bad to worse when they fell behind after five minutes as Pete Sheppard whipped in a cross from the left and Rob Smart’s header went in off the inside of the post.
Wellington refused to let the early setbacks unsettle them and went on to play some of their best football of the season with wide man Dan Thompson a constant threat to the visiting defence.
The home side equalised after 16 minutes when a header by stand-in skipper Scott Holland was blocked on the line and Craig Herrod, who had replaced Ingram, nodded the ball home.
Wellington had plenty of chances in the first half and went ahead on the stroke of half-time as a Thompson cross was headed on by Holland for Shane Kingston to apply the finishing touch.
Bishop Sutton started the second half as if they meant business and keeper Nathan Whatley pulled off a couple of fine saves to keep Wellington in front.
But, after 63 minutes, Whatley failed to deal with a cross from the right and Sheppard headed home off the underside of the bar.
That equaliser shocked Wellington back into their stride and they took control of the game with two more goals to seal a deserved and much-needed victory.
They regained the lead with 14 minutes remaining as defender Jack Adams was brought down in the box and picked himself to coolly convert the resulting penalty.
And, in the dying minutes, the ball broke to Thompson who capped an outstanding display by drilling it low into the net.
Wellington: Nathan Whatley, Craig Mawford, Martin White, Will Gardner, Jack Adams, Dan Thompson, David Thorne, John Bradford, Craig Herrod, Shane Kingston, Scott Holland. Substitutes, Craig Aspin (used) and Adam Fricker (not used). Attendance 50.
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