Wellington FC 4 – 1 Stone Old Alleynians: A second-half horror show saw the Alleynians surrender a first-half lead and slip to their third league defeat in as many games in the West Midlands Premier Division on Saturday. Report by RICHARD HEWITT
Carl Dibden had given the Old Boys the lead on the stroke of half-time, but just 35 seconds after the restart the hosts drew level, before going ahead moments later.
“The manner in which we conceded the goals was very disappointing and it concludes a disappointing week,” said manager Matt Smith. “I thought we shaded the first half and getting the goal when we did was a great lift. However we didn’t learn from last week’s mistakes and shot ourselves in the foot by starting sloppily in the second half, and before we knew it we were behind. We really need to pull together and fight to kickstart our season now, and we have a week to prepare for our next fixture.”
Reverting back to a familiar 4-4-2 shape seemed to be paying dividends for the Stone side early on, as they enjoyed some neat spells of possession in a tight affair. The first real chance fell to the hosts though, but a comical loss of footing cost the Wellington no.10 a certain goal as he collapsed 12 yards out with the goal at his mercy.
Dickie Hewitt then came close at the other end, but the midfielder sent his distance effort narrowly wide following decent work from Matt Thomas down the left flank.
There was also joy to be had down the right for the Alleynians as Grant Bigham overlapped to cause problems for the Wellington defence, linking up with Sam Wilson to cut one across the area that rolled just out of range of the arriving Danny Heard.
Dibden was then rewarded for an industrious first half display as the Wellington defence erred, allowing the centre forward to pick up a loose ball and slot between the legs of the onrushing goalkeeper for the opener.
Wellington’s second half riposte was immediate, Wilson losing possession from the kick off and allowing the home side to plough forward, the ball eventually landing with a forward who thumped in the equaliser from close range. The lead was established approximately 90 seconds later – with the Old Boys still reeling from the equaliser – as a quick switch of play allowed the Wellington left winger a potshot at goal that was deflected past the diving Lewis Ratcliffe.
Within 10 minutes of the restart it was three, a Wellington corner finding an unmarked man on the edge of the box who controlled neatly before burying a brilliantly struck volley in the bottom corner.
The Alleynians’ misery was compounded in the 75th minute as Ratcliffe failed to claim a long ball on the edge of his own 6 yard box, allowing a Wellington forward to steal in and blast home for his side’s fourth.
[box type=”info” align=”aligncenter” ]Stone OA: Ratcliffe, Taylor, Sandwith, L Askey ©, Bigham, Wilson, Cartwright, Heard, Hewitt, Dibden, Thomas (G Askey)[/box]
There are lots more photos from the match HERE
