AFTER three weeks with no Devon & Exeter Division One games, Wellington Reserves hoped this game would go ahead. With Ottery St Mary holding two pitch inspections the game was given the go ahead at midday but it was going to be a challenging game for Mark Owen’s Reserve team in very heavy pitch conditions.

But they barely showed any rustiness and ran out 5-3 winners of a high-scoring encounter.

It was no surprise when Welly took the lead when a fine move up the right resulted in the ball being played to Luke Perry to hit a first time shot across the keeper.

A second soon followed, a brilliant 20-yard clipped finish into the back of the net by Ollie Nott. With Ottery causing very little threat it was a surprise when they scored following a defensive mix up between Ned Ogilvie and Charlie Hawkings.

With Ottery now on top for the first time Wellington had to dig deep and defend well on a pitch which was cutting up.

With the game heading towards half time, Nott scored his second with a low shot into the corner. Ottery started the second half well, controlling the ball and pulled one back when Wellington failed to deal with a free kick.

With Ottery now the dominant team they scored again from another free kick, the ball headed across the face of goal for the Ottery player to finish at the far post with only 10 minutes of the second half played. As manager Mark Owen tried to rally his team he found a response.

Within five mins of Ottery’s equaliser, his team were back in front.

Rohan Poulsom picked the ball up around 25 yards out, drove at the Ottery defence and as he swept into the area he hit a shot across the keeper to make it 4-3.

Wellington now took control and seemed to be winning the ball all over the park and taking the game to Ottery. Owen made four changes as the game moved into the last 15 minutes and it was one of the subs who scored a fantastic team goal.

After some fine passes in midfield the ball was played out wide and from a drilled cross Alfie Barratt running in hard with a defender hit the ball first time past the keeper from 10 yards to make it 5-3.

Wellington only needed to play out the last five mins for an entertaining 5-3 win.

Wellington: Charlie Hawkings, Ned Ogilvie, Dylan Groves, Connor Noble, Tom Davies, Sam Poole, Aaron Hawkings, Dom Healey, Luke Perry, Ollie Nott, Rohan Poulsom - subs Wes Poulsom, Lenny Old, Alfie Barratt, Logan Sellick (all used ) Mark Owen ( not used).

MOTM - Aaron Hawkings