Somerset Senior Cup: Axbridge United 2, Wellington Reserves 4
Our Reserves had to come from behind in challenging conditions at Axbridge before progressing in the senior cup on Saturday.
Player of the match Luke Perry, left, is pictured with Jack Bryant.
Manager Mark Owen was only able to take a squad of 13 due to player commitments and injuries and they got off to the worst start by conceding after 15 minutes as a home player was able to race clean through and slot past the advancing keeper.
Both teams struggled with the windy conditions and the game was stop-start with neither team able to hold onto the ball.
Wellington drew level as Ollie Ackland was played in on the wing. He raced past the full back and cut into the box, playing the ball back for Sam Poole to net.
With half-time approaching Wellington took the lead from a fine move. Poole collected the ball 30 yards out and, as he approached the box, he played a lovely ball into the path of Luke Perry who slotted it past the keeper for a 2-1 lead.
The home team started the second with the wind at their backs and at every opportunity they pumped the ball high into the box, putting the Wellington defence under pressure.
They equalised from a corner when a player was left unmarked at the back post to head past the keeper.
To Wellington’s credit, they kept trying to play football on the ground and, with 20 minutes remaining, they took the lead again.
Jack Bryant challenged for the ball on the edge of the box with the keeper and a defender and, as the ball broke loose, Perry pounced to send a shot towards the empty goal only for a covering defender to handle.
The ref pointed to the spot, the defender was sent off and Perry stepped up to send the penalty under the diving keeper for his second and Wellington’s third goal.
Axbridge kept playing the long ball in search of a equaliser but it was Wellington who scored again with five minutes remaining as Bryant hit a superb shot from the edge of the box high past the keeper to wrap up victory.
