Not so Brilliant Orange at Welton
West End’s late season promotion push suffered a set-back on the road with a 2-1 defeat at picturesque Welton, leading some to suggest that fishing balls from a stream with a corner flag is not ideal match preparation. On a small hard pitch the Beers struggled to impose themselves in the early stages with the ball rarely on the floor long enough to string any sort of passes together. Welton dealt with the conditions better and took a twentieth minute lead in bizarre circumstances; a high lifted cross from the left evaded those in the box but took a high enough bounce to balloon over Christian Sales and drop under the cross-bar.
Liam Tonks was lucky not to be booked for a late challenge on the Welton full-back, however he didn’t escape personal retribution from one of Welton’s midfield; a horrific lunge which caught Tonks above the knee earned a deserved red card from the excellent referee. West End now began to get the ball down and play with the best chance of the half falling to Bruce Garrod who successfully chipped the advancing keeper but the ball held up on the line long enough for a Welton defender to get back and hook it clear.
After the break West End suffered another set-back as Martin Robinson limped off with what would turn out to be a broken bone in his foot. The Beers has already been bailed out by a good Sales save when Welton doubled their lead; West End’s defence dealt with the initial chance, but the ball fell to another Welton forward twelve yards out and he calmly slotted home. From then on, it was all West End and Jack McDonnell encouraged a late push as he pulled a goal back with fifteen minutes remaining; Jamie Lawrence feeding Dave Capps on the left and his pull-back from the byline reached Jack McDonnell coming in at the far post. Unfortunately though that was as good as it got as despite lots of late possession and pressure they just could not find an equaliser.
Team (4-4-2): Christian Sales; Jay Dann, Rich Brown, Adrian Gray, Martin Robertson (Luke Beddows); Jack McDonnell, Glen Wilson, Dave Capps, Liam Tonks (Sam McDonnell); Bruce Garrod, Jamie Lawrence
Man of the Match: Jay Dann (5 votes), Glen Wilson, Adrian Gray (3), Dave Capps, Bruce Garrod (1)
Dick of the Day: Liam Tonks (4 votes), Christian Sales, Glen Wilson (3), Stephen Pearce, Welton’s red-carded midfielder, Peter Beagrie (1)
