Saturday 24th October 2015

Uphill Castle v Wrington Redhill Res

After a week’s break Wrington travelled to Weston to take on Uphill Castle on a far more typical autumn day for their second away fixture of the season. Wrington should have been buoyed after consecutive home wins with clean sheets but were dealt major blows in the run up to the game with a large number of noticeable absentees, including Joe Moore, Mick Edmunds, Louis Rouvrais, Phil Williams, Callum Briggs and Jake Burnett. On the plus side, Manager Moss was able to call upon quality and experience in the shape of Ollie Hubbard, 17 year old Adam Caulfield, his father Ally Caulfield and Rory Thomas.

The away side started the brighter despite a minimal warm-up due to traffic on the M5 and were deservedly ahead in the 2nd minute through a right foot rocket from Kyle Selman, who looks far happier playing as an out-and-out left-sided midfielder as opposed to wing-back. The away side continued to create chances and were playing some very neat and tidy football from back to front with the impressive Adam Caulfield holding the ball up brilliantly and should have been further ahead had it not been for some wayward finishing coupled with some fine goalkeeping.

However, on 10 minutes, the home side levelled as a ball played though the Wrington defence was latched on to by the Uphill winger to slide the ball under the advancing Caulfield in goal. The game continued to be very open with half chances at either end but it was the home side’s more direct football that forced the next goal. A long ball into the channel seemed to be dealt with by Nick Curtis as he turned the ball home to defensive partner Matt Lenny, but a heavy touch allowed the on rushing forward to nip the ball away and slide the ball into the corner. A big blow to the away side that looked a genuine threat each time they attacked. On 25 minutes things got worse for the away side, a long throw wasn’t dealt with and the looping ball fell to the Uphill winger who nodded the ball over Caulfield to make it 3-1. This could have killed the game off but for an immediate response from Wrington. Great work by Michak O’Connor on the right enabled him to square the ball across the face of goal for Selman to tap home for his second just 2 minutes after the disappointment of going 3-1 down. The half drew to a close with Wrington looking the better side but unable to level things up.

HT – 3-2

The second half started in similar fashion to the first with an open affair and Wrington looking to score from the outset. However, a through ball not dealt with by Curtis nearly restored the home side’s 2 goal cushion only to be saved by the covering Thomas. On 50 minutes the away side drew level with Selman scoring at the 4th attempt to complete his hat-trick. Wrington should have been ahead shortly after as chances came and went for O’Connor, Curtis, Tom Johnson and acting captain Chris Holland. But, on 60 minutes a miracle happened, good hold up play from O’Connor gave space to Thomas (Pictured) to whip the ball in from 40 yards, Hubbard and Caulfield challenged the keeper only for all to miss the ball and see it drift into the net for Thomas’ first real goal for the club. Thomas was mobbed by team-mates suffering from mild shock. Wrington doubled their lead when Johnson slid home from the right, a goal he deserved for his second in as many games. The scoreline should have been more emphatic had the away side been able to convert their chances that seemed to be created at will. Wrington brought on their only sub with 15 minutes to go with Owen Withers coming on for the excellent Caulfield up top, the former spurning the chance to seal the game at the death.

FT 3-5

The result was a brilliant one for Wrington who are now 3 wins from their last 3 games, scoring 11 in the process. The side now look to a tricky away trip to Nailsea next week in the first round of the cup and with manager Moss possibly needing to make some big team decisions in the coming week.

Wrington: Caulfield, Thomas, Curtis, Lenny, Clements, Selman, Holland (C), Hubbard, Johnson, Caulfield (Withers), O’Connor

MOTM: Selman