Bristol Telephones 2 Welton Rovers 5

Welton Rovers are now fifteen matches undefeated at the start of their league season, thanks to a comprehensive 5–2 victory at Bristol Telephones this past weekend.

Rovers currently look unstoppable – fifteen points clear of second place Oldland Abbotonians at the top of the Toolstation Western League Division One table, the same points gap as between second and nineteenth place in the

division!

Any possibility of complacency against 14th placed Bristol Telephones was quickly ruled out as Rovers raced into a second minute lead. Lewis Russell was on hand to tap in his first goal of the season from two yards, after Toby Cole headed Jake Slocombe’s excellent cross back across goal.

More great link-up play between Slocombe and Cole on twenty-two minutes saw the former get on the scoresheet, thumping an expertly taken downward header into the Bristol Telephones goal from the latter’s pinpoint ball into the six-yard box.

Rovers’ backline had only been breached seven times coming into this match, so the only disappointment for Welton was in shipping two goals to a team that didn’t offer a huge amount going forward. Telephones briefly had their tail between their legs after getting a goal back, but on the half hour mark any spark of a comeback was extinguished by Jake Slocombe’s second of the season. Rovers’ first penalty kick of the campaign was duly dispatched by Slocombe, taking his season tally to a dozen.

Rovers started the second half rapidly, and put the game to bed on fifty minutes. An accurately delivered in-swinging corner from midfielder, James Batchelor, allowed central defender, Joe Garland to peel off from his marker to flick in a textbook header.

Another defender would get Rovers’ final goal, Jacob Watson this time converting a unique back heeled finish from Russell’s corner, delivered from the opposite flank.

Bristol Telephones got their own set-piece goal between Rovers’ fourth and fifth, but it would be the Midsomer Norton side that controlled the duration of the second half, and who nearly added to the scoreline on numerous occasions. Slocombe was denied a hat-trick by a seemingly impossible save, and substitute, Kyle Box rattled the Telephones’ woodwork with a powerful long distance strike.

This victory sets Welton up well for their biggest test of the season thus far this coming Saturday, as they travel to Hellenic League Premier Division side

Brimscombe & Thrupp in the First Round Proper of the Buildbase FA Vase.