Les Phillips Cup first round: Bridgwater United 2, Wellington 4
An excellent all-round performance saw Wellington put holders Bridgwater United out of the Toolstation League’s Les Phillips Cup at Fairfax Park last night.
With the hosts only knocked off the premier division’s top spot because they didn’t play at the weekend, and Wellington lying third from bottom, the odds were stacked against the Tangerines.
But they had already drawn twice with United in the league and went one better at the third attempt with a well-deserved victory.
Wellington took the game to the home side from the kick-off and went ahead after nine minutes as the ball broke to Jake Quick who burst forward before producing a clinical finish.
Bridgwater went close twice in quick succession before drawing level in the 20th minute. A low cross found its way to Jake Brown who made no mistake.
Almost immediately, the visitors thought they had regained the lead only for another Jake Quick effort to be ruled out for offside.
But they were not to be denied and stunned Bridgwater with two goals in ten minutes before the break. Harvey Dorothy cut inside to shoot home after 26 minutes and then Joe Wragg produced some neat footwork before also driving low into the net.
It could even have been 4-1 at the interval as Jamie Nicholson, who recorded a couple of assists on the night, saw a curling shot come back off the post.
Not surprisingly, Bridgwater took the game to the visitors after the break – Conor Hartley hitting the bar – but Wellington defended superbly and the home cause was not helped by the dismissal of Jacob Spence for a bad tackle in the final minute.
They did manage to pull a goal back in injury time when Rob Edwards swept home a low cross but Wellington restored their two-goal advantage right at the death with Quick again racing clear for his second goal of a memorable night.
The win will give the Tangerines confidence ahead of their home game against the new premier leaders Saltash United on Saturday with an early kick-off at 2pm.
Wellington: Harley Wilkinson, Callum Chivers, Michael Murphy, Jason Quick, Jack Bown-Porter, Jamie Nicholson, Eli Collins, Miles Quick, Joe Wragg, Jake Quick, Harvey Dorothy. Subs: Glen Wright, Kelson Pollard, Henry Woodward, Heon Jin, Stefan Phillips (not used).
BELOW: Our scorers at Bridgwater, from left, Jake Quick, Harvey Dorothy and Joe Wragg.