Welton sports continued their incredible league form with a 4-3 victory against Woodhall spa leaving them just one win away from confirming the division two title.
The pack was shuffled yet again with first team regulars ross, connor, danny and joel unavailable. Welton lined up with Matt wilks in goal, protected by a back three of matt, dave and phil with a midfield 5 of alex, lee, andy, bow and buckers with jason and ronnie up top. Leaving moley, alex and mark on the bench.
The game started fairly evenly with a decent woodhall side looking to get at welton from the off. The first goal came after around ten minutes and fell to welton when the ball bounced up and with his back to goal james drabble tried an audacious overhead kick which took the keeper by surprise and went underneath his outstretched dive to give welton an early lead. As usual this perked the lads up and welton started to create some good stuff with the left foot crosses of adam buckley causing the woodhall back four all sorts of problems.
The equaliser came on the half hour mark when confusion over an alledged hand ball left the welton defence appealing and the woodhall striker free as a bird to slot home to the keepers right to make it 1-1. Frustrations were obvious and welton could not regain any kind of momentum as the clock ticked to the half time whistle.
The usual half time reassurance came from manager daly, welton just needed to settle down and get back to playing the attractive football they have become known for.
Welton came out of the traps really positive and a wonderful move engineered by tom bowey who was obviously benefitting from an early sober night in, played a lovely clipped ball which split the woodhall defence in two for the everwilling runner jason to control and confident beat the keeper from 10 yards out to make it 2-1.
Welton were now on the hunt for the third and the fans were not made to wait long when a whipped corner from buckers was met by ronnie which the keeper palmed out to the very grateful dave to finish from 1 yard out to make it 3-1.
Welton continued to press with the odd attack from woodhall keeping them on their toes. Woodhall were now committing in numbers and this was their downfall for Welton's forth when jason ran with the ball from the half way line and blasted a fierce shot which was too hot to handle for the woodhall keeper and was met by the onrushing tom bowey to cap a fine performance from the wee man.
Now at 4-1 welton looked comfortable, but woodhall had other ideas and that never say die attitude was rewarded when a well timed run saw the woodhall striker finish well to make it 4-2 and suggest the game was not quite done and dusted. This was even more in doubt when a chipped ball over the top of the welton defence was collected by a well timed run from the woodhall striker and finished confidently.
With around ten minutes left and the score at 4-3 the welton fans began to fear the worst, but to their credit welton stood firm and probably should have got the 5th goal, but for some good keeping and defending.
The final whistle blew and bar a miracle the division two title looks to be heading to social park in a couple of weeks time. Welton still have a tough test against a much improved North Scarle side next week and possibly two more fixtures versus ruston eagles and county hospital. Although with Rustons in complete termoil at present the fixture looks unlikely to go ahead and welton will be awarded the three points.
However the management team are keen to decide welton's own destiny by securing three points next week which will confirm them as league 2 champions.
Moley Magicians
Tom Bowey ***
jason **
Ronnie *
Next Fixture - North Scarle vs Welton Sports Afc - 10:45m 15th April