BRIDGWATER TOWN 1

WELLINGTON 2

WELLINGTON travelled to nearby Bridgwater on Boxing Day to play the ninth-placed side in the Premier Division of the Toolstation League, writes Jeff Brown.

They were able to welcome back George Painter and Glen Wright, and Joe Chamberlain, back from a three match suspension but were without new-signing James Clough and Conor and Sam Bryant.

The home team exerted early pressure through a series of free kicks and corners with one cross in from the right squirming through Tom Welch’s hands but the ball was ultimately cleared.  Wellington gradually began  to gain a little more possession and make some headway but the best they could manage was a Tom Ellis header from a corner that went wide.  Just before the half hour Josh White, up for a corner, headed just over the Wellington cross-bar but minutes later Sam Towler played a good ball into the box that narrowly evaded Connor Pengelly and ex-Wellington keeper Jake Viney struggled to retrieve the ball under the challenge of Chamberlain.  Shortly after Chamberlain laid a ball in from the left that Jack Bryant was able to feed on to Pengelly whose shot was only just off target. 

The second half started with Wellington pressing and a long throw from Jack Porter found Chamberlain who blasted his shot over and Pengelly then shot wide following a corner.  The home team hit back and earned a free kick on the edge of the box but shortly after former Tiverton Town player Harry Horton, who was busy about the pitch all afternoon, played a dangerous ball across the face of Wellington’s goal that evaded everyone.  Wellington lost possession that allowed Jordan Burrows to advance and shoot just over from the edge of the box before player-manager Dave Pearce replaced Steve Holland with Jake Llewellyn who was to prove a threat down the right flank.  After 64 minutes a fine Wellington move saw Bryant play the ball in to Chamberlain who touched on to Pengelly whose shot beat Viney but was cleared by a defender.  A corner resulted and after the ball had been headed back into the Bridgwater goal area it came to Legg who headed home.  Shortly after Bridgwater had a good build up that left Llewellyn clear and he shot past Welch only to be ruled offside.

 Paulo Borges replaced Pengelly, who had worked hard in the sticky conditions, as Wellington tried to contain the home team but the pressure was building on the defence who were in defiant mood as they struggled to hang on to the lead.  Welch was glad to see a Horton shot come straight to him but was forced to save well from Copp at his near post.  The visitors were working hard to take the pressure off with Glen Wright,  Scott Drayton and Sam Towler enjoying some spells where they were able to keep possession and they combined well, with quarter of an hour left, to set up Porter who shot wide.  Tom Hawkings was sent on to replace Chamberlain and ultimately Sam Jones replace Bryant who was injured as Bridgwater tried to get back into the game and appealed for a penalty when Porter spread himself to block a Llewellyn shot that struck his hand but the referee was not interested.

Wellington were still fighting as time began to run out and after Borges fed Towler whose shot was saved, Viney came well out of his area, not for the first time, to collect a long ball but hesitated and Borges dispossessed him to run on and shoot into an empty net although the ball almost got stuck in the mud.  Bridgwater threw everything forward and the dangerous Llewellyn danced around three defenders and shot into the top corner to reduce the arrears and provide a few nervous final minutes.