Our Town U15 boys got their season under way with a hard-fought 2-2 draw against a well organised Bridgwater Wolves team.
Fletcher Langley, player-of-the-match, with manager Scott Bate.
Kicking off in atrociously wet conditions, Town got off to the worst start imaginable – a mis-timed challenge in the 18-yard area inside five minutes saw them fall behind from the ensuing penalty.
But with Welly starting to exploit the wide channels, they began to gain more of a foothold in the game. A late challenge on Town’s industrious midfielder Jack Fowler gave the visitors an opportunity to draw level just before half-time.
Up stepped Sam Alderman whose audacious 30-yard strike beat the keeper to make it 1-1.
With the rain easing, it was Town who were playing the more enterprising football.
And after Seb Nicholls went close on 44 minutes, it was the hosts who regained the lead, almost against the run of play – an outstanding long-range strike by the Wolves number 9 putting the Bridgwater team back in front.
Wolves, with their tails up, continued to look threatening. But as Welly’s midfield and defence dug in, so too did they begin to catch the opposition on the break.
Fletcher Langley, in a player-of-the-match performance, was menacing up front as Town sought parity and, on 67 minutes, Town found their equaliser. It was Alderman again with a sweetly struck free kick from 25 yards to make it 2-2.
Both teams could have won it inside the final five minutes – Wolves denied by the crossbar and Zac Foster’s volley for Welly agonisingly missing the target – but they will be satisfied for a point apiece after an entertaining opening fixture.
