Wrington Redhill 2 Welton Rovers reserves 2
Two quality goals from George Fake were not enough to clinch all three points in this lively encounter with Welton Rovers Reserves. Matt Walsh retained his place in the side due to Si Hewish’s injury and Ollie Clements made his return from injury replacing Ryan Pugh who aggravated an injury in the pre-match warm up.
The game started at some pace and as early as the third minute Fake latched onto a loose ball on the edge of the visitors’ area but his effort was straight at Welton keeper Billy Barter. At the other end a defensive mix up saw an effort go over the bar and then a Jack Francis shot was narrowly wide of a post.
Barely 10 minutes into the game good work by Rory Thomas saw him feed Fake and he exquisitely lobbed the ball over the advancing Barter and the ball bounced into the empty net for a 1-0 lead. The home side continued to build their attacks with the midfield pressing for the ball and whilst Andy Garner had a long range effort dealt with by keeper Hill . Wrington Redhill should have increased their lead when Reece Ferguson-Obamwonyl played the ball to Fake whose great run and super cross somehow evaded all the advancing attacking players.
When you don’t convert your chances you are vulnerable to a counter attack and this is what happened on approaching the half hour mark. Welton’s Harry McLachlin first had a fine attempt that was just wide then soon after Garner raced down the left flank and cut into the box and fired an unstoppable shot just inside the far post for an equaliser. Home keeper Matt Hill had to be lively again soon after to collect a shot from Mark Andrade before Wrington Redhill took the lead again.
The lively Fake got onto a delicate through ball from Leigh White and produced another sublime chip over the head of Barter who turned and almost got back to scramble it off the line but 2 – 1 it was.Then just before the half ended Rory Thomas should have made it 3 – 1 when he was clean through on goal but shot wide. Just before the whistle Welton’s stand out player Alfie Dix was ordered to the sin bin with one complaint too many to the referee.
After the break Welton’s players were getting more and more frustrated with the referee’s decisions and Mason Farrington was booked for his back chat and McLachlin was also sin binned just after Dix had returned to the action . A curling effort from Welton’s Jack Francis flew past a post before Sam Harvey (Parky) and Ferguson-Obamwonyl combined to set Thomas down the left flank and his cross was headed goal ward by Fake but Barter managed to scramble the ball away for a corner denying Fake his hat trick.
Chris Bradley and Chris Holland replaced Ethan Williams and Parkinson as the team sought to increase their lead. However Welton got back on level terms when a free kick by Seb Nix was played to Andrade who rifled the ball through the crowded area past Hill. This spurred the home side to look for a winner with Fake having a goal bound header cleared off the line from a Clements corner then Clements tried his luck from long range which Barter dealt with comfortably.
All in all this was another promising performance early into the season with a number of players contesting the MAN of the MATCH which was awarded to George Fake for his brace of goals and all round contribution in leading the forward line.
Goalkeeper: Matt Hill
Defence: Matt Walsh, Dan Ferguson, Ethan Johnson’ Ollie Clements
Midfield: Ethan Williams, Sam Harvey (Parkinson), Leigh White, Rory Thomas
Forwards: George Fake, Reece Ferguson-Obamwonyl
Subs: Chris Bradley (for Ethan Williams), Chris Holland (for Sam Harvey)
Best Regards
John Clements
Wrington Redhill FC