Toolstation League Division 1
At: Athletic Ground, Rowdens Road
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Admission: £4; Programme: £1 (24 pages)
Attendance: 98
Weather: sunny, winndy, occasional showers
Duration: first-half: 46:27; second-half: 50:00
It’s FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round day but my bid to watch a game in each of the six qualifying round on a new ground came to an end at the final hurdle.
We had long planned to be in Devon this weekend at the start of half-term, and when the draw was made my only FA Cup option was Truro City v Forest Green Rovers, as long as Truro won their Third Qualifying Round reply. Mangotsfield put a stop to that idea with a win on penalties so they instead hosted the Blue Square Premier side.
No need for the violins, however, as a club I’d long wanted to visit, Wells City, were at home and, better still, were top of the league as well.
I opened the curtains this morning to a worry sight – rain steadily falling and large puddles of water on the road outside. I contemplated the first ‘fun’ day of the season trying to find a match that was on? Would fate have me ending up at the FA Cup tie at Paulton, a ground I’d visited many years ago?
Anyway, before setting off, I phoned Wells and got no reply which I assumed was good rather than bad news. I needn’t have worried as we arrived in the Cathedral City to sunshine and a perfect playing surface. We approached Wells up the A39 from Glastonbury and turned right onto East Somerset Way (A371 towards Shepton Mallet) at the roundabout next to R. Tincknell & Son. Rowdens Road was first left and the ground was at the end doubling back almost to the Glastonbury Road.
With bags of time (which I thought might have been needed to find another game), we walked into the city centre, past the Star Hotel, where my mother-in-law and the father of Mrs ‘iwf’ stayed on honeymoon back in the fifties, to the Cathedral. I returned to the ground down Priory Road into a stiff wind that was to have an impact on the game.
The Athletic Ground at which Wells play is a multi-sport venue consisting of a large playing field. At the entrance I noticed a gate commemorating ‘Mary Bignal Rand 1960 1964’ and a plaque told of Mary Rand’s long jumping achievements including a world record at the Tokyo Olympics Games of 1964. There was a paybox where the matchday programme was available and the pitch (orientated north-south) ran lengthways occupying the left-hand side of a much larger recreation ground. All the facilities were down the far left-hand touchline with a seated stand – ‘The Mike Cornish Stand’ – on halfway, behind the dugouts, containing four rows of benches with individual places marked out for around 180 spectators. Veronica’s Teas was adjacent to the stand and I couldn’t resist tea in a proper yellow mug and slice of jam swiss roll. Alas no lapel badges were available.
Before kick-off, I met fellow traveller ‘RS Cavendish’ and spent an enjoyable afternoon in his company. The home manager and referee provided the teamsheets but the line-ups were announced over the tannoy as well.
Before the game, the Wells squad had their team photo taken along with the shirt sponsor.
As mentioned, Wells went into the game on top of Division 1 on 31 points from 13 games, three points clear of second-placed Westbury United who had three games in hand. They began the season unbeaten in their opening 13 league and cup games, winning all except for a draw against Minehead. In his programme column, the Wells manager Tim Moxey explained his team had suffered the ‘Manager of the Month’ curse as they spluttered this month, losing to both Gillingham and Elmore, after he picked up the September award. Last Saturday, Wells got back on track with a 2-0 win at lowly Chard.
Visitors Bridport (11 points from 11 games) went into this game in 15th position in the 20-team division. Wells boss Moxey mentioned that the meeting between the teams at Bridport earlier in the season was a tight affair which was won by Wells with a single goal scored by Ian Howse.
A local junior football team provided a guard of honour from the teams as they emerged from the changing rooms behind the match officials before exchanging handshakes lined up in front of the stand.
I opted for a seat on the back row of the stand, alongside ‘RS C’ even though the near right corner was obscured by the changing rooms. Bridport (wearing red and black striped shirts, black shorts and socks) got the game underway defending the Rowdens Road end in the first half and attacking into the strong wind.
The game’s major talking point came with barely five minutes on the clock. Steve Murray saw a low shot, fired from outside the area, hit the arm of defender Chris Senior who had flung himself in the way of the ball. The referee pointed to the spot and Murray fired home the opening and, as it turned out, match-winning goal, timed in the 6th minute.
Chances were extremely scare as Wells (wearing blue shirts, blue shorts and white socks) did most of the attacking with the aid of the wind. They won several corners that came to nothing and, midway through the half, Bridport keeper Simon Evans got down to hold a low left-foot shot from Jake Brown hit from the right side of the area.
The home side were inches away from doubling their lead on the half hour. Steve Sokol hit a thunderous shot which hit the inside of the left-hand post and rebounded across the face of goal.
Bridport created their first decent chance in the 37th minute. Hesitancy in the Wells defence allowed Senior, up with attack following a free-kick, to get in a right foot shot which keeper Terry Punchard blocked.
After staying put and chatting to ‘RS C’ at half time, the second half soon got underway and Bridport had another chance five minutes after the resumption. Shane Evans got into the area down the left and pulled the ball back for Wise who couldn’t keep his shot down. Roger Cummins was unlucky to narrowly miss the target with an acrobatic overhead kick which deserved better.
I wondered if Bridport were going to equalise, especially when Punchard did well on the hour to tip over a rising long-range drive from Senior.
Drizzle started to fall, briefly, and play was momentarily halted when a blue umbrella was blown onto the pitch from the far side.
Senior was booked in the 68th minute for a foul on Jack Malone, who was able to continue after treatment, and three minutes later Mat Condliffe saw yellow as well for dissent.
Bridport boss Trevor Senior made a change in the 73rd minute when Carl Bulman replaced Alan Hill, just before a rare Wells chance fell to Ian Howse but Simon Evans made a comfortable save.
Wells brought on Dan Jenkins, in his distinctive yellow boots, in place of Murray in the 75th minute and two minutes later Wells midfielder Ross McErlain picked up a booking for a foul on Wise.
Still hoping for an equaliser, manager Senior asked the near-by assistant how long was left. “11 minutes came the reply,” and the boss made a second substitution in the 82nd minute, replacing Shane Evans with Dom McAllister.
Bridport continued to press forward in search of the elusive equaliser, without success and had to return home with Dorset with a narrow defeat. Wells defender Mark Randall was booked for handball in stoppage time (90+3 minutes).
Unknown to me sat on the back row of the stand, the lights had been switched on sometime during the game - the nights are certainly drawing in especially with the clocks going back tonight!
Wells City (blue/blue/white): 1. Terry Punchard, 2. Jack Malone, 3. Mark Randall, 4. Jamie Gowers, 5. Kyle McErlain (capt), 6. Nathan Truckle, 7. Steve Sokol, 8. Ross McErlain, 9. Ian Howse, 10. Jake Brown, 11. Steve Murray. Subs: 12. Steve Osgood, 14. Steve Griffin, 15. Dan Jenkins (for Murray, 75).
Bridport (red and black stripes / black / black): 1. Simon Evans, 2. Alan Hill, 3. Matt Condliffe, 4. Chris Clarke, 5. Chris Senior, 6. Ryan Hayter (capt), 7. Tom Coggins, 8. Dan Wise, 9. Ashley Clarke, 10. Shane Evans, 11. Roger Cummins. Subs: 12. Carl Bulman (for Hill, 73), 14. Dom McAllister (for Shane Evans, 82), 15. Trevor Senior.
Referee: I Harley.
Assistants: P Bell and P Mawhood.
Goals:
1-0 Steve Murray (6 pen)
