Ott hails vintage Mole

Welton reserves season ticket holder Andy Ottewell believes that James Mulhall is playing arguably the best football of his career.

The 30-year-old celebrated signing a new one-year contract last week by helping Welton into the semi-final of the Fred Quibbell Cup with a 4-3 win over St Giles on Sunday.

The JH Walter estate agent played a significant part in the win at Social Park, despite appearing to be carrying an injury for long periods of the game.

Welton will reach the last four of the Jock Mitchell Memorial trophy with a win away at Dynamo Rileys on Sunday, a game Mulhall won’t be rested for, but Ottewell insists the veteran just gets better with age.

"There is an argument to say James is playing better than he has ever done," he said.

"He looks after himself, is totally professional and seems to have found a rich vein of form."He goes on to another level every year. We can only be happy with that."The man himself is too modest to declare that he is in the form of his life but he does admit that he is enjoying his football more than ever before.

"I am certainly enjoying my football more than ever," Mulhalll revealed.

"It is for other people to judge whether I am playing as well as I have ever done. But I am playing quite regularly and the team are playing well, which is what we want."

“Moley” acknowledges that a move to the back from his natural position of left-wing has enabled him to continue playing at the highest level and prolonged his career.

"I am not going to sprint in behind defenders like I used to but I use my experience to get on the ball and try to create from there," he added.

"You know without even looking sometimes that a colleague will be there because the movement is so good."I was really pleased to sign for another year and look forward to being a part of this team."