WELLINGTON Wanderers Under 12s played at home to Watchet in their final pre-season fixture - and there were plenty of encouraging signs despite a narrow 1-0 defeat.

From the first whistle, the young Tangerines started brightly and quickly established control of the game. Wellington looked composed in possession and played some excellent football, particularly when building from the back. The players showed great confidence in receiving the ball under pressure and worked hard to move it with patience and purpose.

Out of possession, Wanderers were equally impressive. The team battled well throughout and showed a real desire to win the ball back quickly, pressing as a unit and making it difficult for Watchet to settle.

The only thing missing was the final touch. Wanderers created opportunities and worked the ball into some promising areas but were unable to find the finish needed to reward what was a very positive performance.

Unfortunately, the game was decided by a spectacular long-range strike, with Watchet finding the net from around 40 yards. It was a moment of quality that was difficult to prevent, but it certainly didn’t reflect Wellington’s performance across the match.

Despite the 1-0 scoreline, there were hugely encouraging signs for the young Tangerines. The composure shown when playing out from the back, all suggest the team is heading in the right direction.

With pre-season now complete, the squad can look forward to their first competitive game of the season. There is plenty to build on, and the hard work and commitment shown throughout pre-season should give the players plenty of confidence going forward.

A huge thank you to all the parents who helped out today with running the line, packing away the nets and putting the respect barrier away.

Finally, a big thank you to our fantastic shirt sponsor, Roadchef, for their continued support of Wellington Wanderers U12.

John Norman