Somerset Premier Cup: Portishead Town 0, Wellington 0
(Portishead win 6-5 on penalties)
Wellington bowed out of the Somerset Premier Cup with a penalty shootout defeat away to first division Portishead Town on Tuesday night.
Only a couple of weeks earlier, Wellington had progressed in the FA Vase thanks to a win on penalties over Bishops Lydeard – another side from the division below them – but this time it was not to be.
Tim Legg’s line-up showed a number of changes from the disappointing league defeat at Cadbury Heath.
These included a welcome first start of the season for midfielder Harry Walford – almost a year to the day after he suffered a broken leg in a game at Hallen.
The visitors got off to an encouraging start and peppered the Portishead goal with shots without finding the net, skipper Glen Wright being particularly unlucky to be denied by some desperate blocks.
But the home side came more into the game as the half progressed and Wellington were indebted to promising young keeper Shay Allen, who is having an outstanding season, for a couple of smart saves.
It was all set up for an entertaining second half but, instead, the game rather fizzled out until Wellington staged a late rally.
They went close on successive occasions in the final ten minutes with recent signing Mark Cornish, who had a fine game in the centre of defence, clipping the outside of the post with a curling effort.
The teams were still locked together at 0-0 as the final whistle blew and so the tie went straight to penalties.
Five excellent kicks by each side meant the shootout moved to sudden death and, when Wellington’s Josh Champion saw his effort saved, Portishead then scored to go through to the next round.
Wellington: Shay Allen, Josh Champion, Mark Cornish, Jordan Ford, Jack Bown-Porter, Harry Walford, Mason Raymond, Sam Towler, Glen Wright, Jake Quick, Josh Baker. Substitutes: Miles Quick (used); Jamie Vaughan-Ryall and Tom Stone (not used).
