Welton S&SC Reserves advanced to the last eight of the Fred Quibbel cup with an emphatic 5-1 victory against Tavern FC who finished the game with 8 men after seeing their goalkeeper and two midfielders sent off.
Goals from Carlile, Ottewell, Gordon and an unlikely brace from super sub Mayhem Wilkinson saw Welton gain revenge on the Tavern who had beaten them a couple of weeks before.
Welton hadd a host of absentees for a variety of reasons and even managers Dayley and Scally decided they had better places to be so it was left to Mark Brewer to pick the team and the ginger genius lined up 3-5-2 with Jones in Goal protected by Evans, Carlile and Captain Mulhall, across the middle were Hardwicke on the right, Ottewell on the left with Munn, Westman and Mottram in the middle, Brewer went with a dangerous looking strike force of Matt Gordon and Tom Bowey.
Much talk in the build up to the game was about Taverns talisman Sean Cann who ran the Welton defence ragged in the two sides last meeting but much to the relief of all involved with Welton, Cann was no where to be seen and this gave Social a boost even before a ball was kicked. Welton started the brighter of the two sides carving out a number of chances only to be constantly frustrated by the flag happy linesman.
Welton took a deserved lead when Ryan Ottewell sent an in swinging corner from the right that was met by a thunderous volley by right back Dan Carlile who smashed home from near the Penalty spot.
Taverns players had already been throwing themselves into challenges that resulted in one of their players being booked. Minutes later the same offender was booked for a foul rant at referee Ian Stephenson leaving him with no choice but to show the player his second yellow and the resulting red.
Infuriated by the apparent injustice Tavern turned really ugly with some of their challenges and actually started to play their way back into the game as the young Welton side struggled to dominate the midfield war zone.
Tavern scored a deserved equaliser on the stroke of half time through Nathan Bryan who stabbed home from yards out after the Socialites failed to clear a disputed corner.
Half Time Tavern FC 1-1 Welton S&SC Reserves
Despite the half time pep talk from stand in manager Mark Brewer the ten men came out the stronger of the two sides winning the midfield battle and the Tavern appeared to have the Social rattled especially when Captain Mulhall was involved in an altercation with the Tavern right winger, where the Social stalwart appeared to raise an arm in the direction of the Tavern player, Tavern pressed on but their was no way through the defensive wall of Evans, Carlile and especially Mulhall.
The next goal was going to be crucial and fortunately it came from the right foot of Matt Gordon. The Social forward pulled out to the left hand side and whipped in a cross that was ‘Dummied’ by Tom Bowey which put off the goalkeeper and flew straight into the net much to the delight of the travelling Socialites who had bravely made the trip.
Then it was time for Mark Brewer to play his wildcard bringing on Matt Wilkinson. Many people doubted Brewers wisdom assuming that bringing on a goalkeeper up front to replace Matt Hardwicke was a negative decision. How wrong they were.
It only took Mayhem 5 minutes to make his Mark. Good work down the right from Bowey enabled Matt Gordon to lash a low cross across the six yard box and super sub Mayhem made no mistake in hammering home with his right foot despite a despairing hand ball attempt from a Tavern defender, to send the Socialites and particularly Brewer into delirium.
Three soon became four and eleven against ten soon became eleven against nine. Social livewire Tom Bowey wriggled his way into the box and was brought down by the keeper earning Social a penalty and the keeper a yellow card. The keeper clearly was not amused by the decision and launched a verbal volley of abuse at the ref for which the ref responded with another yellow followed by red.
Taverns new keepers first involvement was to pick the ball out of his net after Ottewell coolly sent him the wrong way firing home into the bottom right corner of the net.
This ended the game as a contest but the action was still coming thick and fast. Brewer introduced Brothwell to the action who was eager to get on and mix it with Taverns number 10. Sadly for Brothwell he didn’t get much of a chance to do this as the number 10 who was already on a yellow card launched himself into a tackle that was worthy of a straight red. Again yellow and red were brandished and ‘Bagy’ greeted his card by launching the ball into orbit and telling the ref he was a disgrace to football.
Things were about to go from bad to worse for the tiring Tavern men who remained when with Social in total control and Tavern down to 8 Brewer was now safe to unleash Liam ‘Leeds’ Rawlings into proceedings.
With Leeds on and Welton rampant the fifth goal was surely inevitable and it arrived in spectacular fashion again through Mayhem. Ottewell fired in a low cross that Mayhem outrageously flicked into the net with the back of his heel, A wonderful goal that didn’t go unnoticed by the watching first team scouts.
All in all a stunning display from the Socialites who advance to the quarter finals where they will face run away Division 5 leaders Dynamo Rileys, But with Brewer now at the Helm Sincil Bank is well and truly on the horizon for the Socialites.
Final score Tavern FC 1-5 Welton S&SC reserves
Match Ratings
Jones (8) did well when called upon.
Mulhall (9) immense at the back
Evans (8) no thrills solid defending
Carlile (8) solid at the back, great goal
Westy (9) added bite to the midfield, won everything in the air.
Mottram (8) intelligent use of the ball.
Munn (9) got stuck in, calm on the ball
Ottewell (8) fired in tremendous crosses from the left
Hardwicke (8) stuck to his task well
Gordon (8) lead the line well
Bowey (8) glimpses of magic, got hacked to pieces.
SUBS
Mayhem (9) super sub made the difference
Brothwell (8) tidy on the ball
Rawlings (8) put himself about
Carters Crackers
Mulhall ***
Westy **
Munn *
Can we have you?
That Ref every week. Had no choice with the three reds, took no non sense from Tavern
You’re not very good!
To say their Linesman was twitchy with his flag would be an understatement.