Welton ran out 9-2 winners against Horncastle in an unbelievable game at Social Park on Sunday morning. Welton needed a big win to eat in to their goal difference deficit but Horncastle had not read the script and unbelievably surged into a two goal lead, things went from terrible to almost fatal for Welton as Jamie Chesman received a red card and conceded a penalty in the process, Carl Stubbs saved the penalty and that proved to be the kickstart to a sensational display from the ten men of Welton as they rattled home 9 goals without reply, Matt O Halloran lead the way with 4, Billy Munro grabbed a superb hat trick and Olly Furness and of course Scott Coupland scored one each.
Welton sent out the same outfield 10 that saw off Nettleham in the Kelly Read Cup last week and the only change to the line up saw Carl Stubbs come in to replace Phil McGann in goal.
Welton started very lethargically presumably still recovering from the shock of Lee Couplands successful cross Bar challenge efforts and were duly punished in a terrible opening ten minutes when Horncastle’s resident idiot Tony Edwards scored two well taken goals to stun Social Pak in to silence as the bottom of the table side looked set to pull off an astonishing upset.
Things really did go from bad to worse for Welton when Edwards went in late on Jamie Chesman after he had cleared the ball down field and in a moment of madness Chesman retaliated on Edwards leaving the referee no choice but to give Chesman his marching orders and give Horncastle chance to extend their lead from the penalty spot.
A 3 goal deficit would surely have been to much for the ten men of Welton to come back from and it was Carl Stubbs that turned out to be Welton’s hero diving low to his right to save Edwards’ spot kick and perhaps save Welton’s season in the process.
Welton reverted to a three four two formation and buoyed on by Stubbs’ penalty saving heroics the Socialites sprang in to life.
Billy Munro collected the ball on the half way line with his back to goal before turning and taking on a couple of Horncastle defenders and unleashing an absolute thunderbolt with his right foot into the top corner from 25 yards out to kick start the Welton comeback.
Miraculously the ten men were in complete control and Matt O Halloran soon opened his account for the morning and pulled Welton level with a rasping right foot drive from twenty yards out that was to hot for the keeper to handle.
Welton’s recovery was then dealt a blow as Leigh Warman had to be withdrawn with an injury to be replaced by Jack McGovern who slotted in at the centre of the back three along side Joe Snookes and Will Carter.
The resurgent Socialites had their tails up now and it was difficult to tell which side was a man down as O Halloran again blasted Welton into the lead with 5 minutes to go before half time firing the ball into the corner through a crowded penalty area.
The Socialites created more chances before half time but from being a spot kick away from three goals down and with ten men, The Socialites were more than happy to go in at half time 3-2 up.
HALF TIME: Welton S&SC 3-2 Horncastle Town
Welton returned knowing that they needed to make serious in roads into their goal difference but with ten men they had to be very wary of Horncastle’s threat on the break.
Billy Munro gave Welton a two goal cushion in the 54th minute following in well after Sam Allmond had been denied by the Hornacstle goal keeper.
This gave Welton the secure cushion to really throw everything at Horncastle and they turned in a breath taking second half performance from that moment on.
Billy Munro beat the Honcastle offside trap latching onto a ball over the top, The Horncastle defence appealed in vein for offside on Craig Cosgrove who wasn’t interfering with play and a superb advantage by Referee Thompson allowed Munro to run through and square to Coupland to tap home and make it 5.
Olly Furness was brought on to replace Craig Cosgrove and with the game over as a contest it was a crucial twenty five minutes for Welton to try and score as many goals as possible.
The ten men of Welton through caution to the wind and through the kitchen sink at Horncastle producing some brilliant passages of play that lead to 4 further goals.
Matt O Halloran completed his hat trick and tapped home his fourth after good work by Scott Coupland to set him up on both occasions,
Olly Furness finished well after O Halloran was denied his fifth goal of the game by a tremendous double save from the keeper and Billy Munro completed the rowt with another superb strike when he left two defenders for dead before firing the ball into the top corner with his left foot.
Disaster avoided and Welton’s goal difference has been improved by seven with a truly remarkable turn around with ten men.
FULL TIME: Welton S&SC 9-2 Horncastle Town