Patience a virtue

Patience was a virtue for Wells City on Saturday as they came from a goal behind, to beat Barnstaple Town with two superb late strikes that take Tim Moxey’s side up to 8th spot in the Premier Division of The Western League.
Barnstaple had been on a poor run of results recently, so the odds were always likely to be in Wells' favour, although a close contest was always likely to be envisaged.
The pitch was heavy following the rain during the week and the free flowing football you would normally expect from Wells was to a certain extent scuppered by the conditions.
Barnstaple to their credit, did well to defend in numbers in the first half and although Wells had the greater share of possession, it meant little at the interval as the visitors led by a hotly disputed penalty decision.
The second half was proving to be a frustrating time for Wells as they tried in vain to break down a defence who threw their bodies literally at any goal bound effort and the feeling was, that Wells would need something special in the way of quality to take anything from the game and so it proved with two magnificent late goals.
Wells created two opportunities in the first ten minutes, but Jake Brown wasted the first as he wanted one touch too many when he was through on goal and Tom Manning dragged an effort wide from 12 yards out.
The visitors offered little in the way of attacking options in the opening third of the game, but against the run of play, they took the lead on 32 minutes.
Jamie Gowers was adjudged to have tripped Jake Morford inside the Wells penalty area, although the infringement appeared to have taken place outside the penalty area and from the penalty, Kevin Darch sent Ben Dancey the wrong way from the spot.
Wells did their best to get back on level terms before the interval as Jake Brown curled a left foot effort inches wide of the far post and the same player then had a goal bound shot deflected over the crossbar by the body of Mark Armstrong.
Wells looked the better side at the start of the second half, but breaking down a stubborn Barnstaple defence was looking increasingly difficult, despite Wells having by far the greater share of possession.
Wells best effort came from Mat Hurley 20 yards from goal, but from a central position, he lifted the ball over the crossbar.
The game turned dramatically for Wells when Moxey brought on Mike Edmunds to replace Jamie Howson and Edmunds who was formerly with Cheddar made an immediate impact by drawing the Barnstaple central defenders out of position with his darting runs, especially down the left flank.
The goal that Wells had patiently waited for came on 77 minutes when Ben Higgins, Tom Manning and Edmunds linked up superbly to set up the opportunity for Jake Brown and his quick feet and tight control saw him side step Gary Skinner, before unleashing a brilliant left foot drive that flew into the roof of the net.
Wells pressure saw them take the lead for the first time in the game on 84 minutes and it was a goal to saviour.
Tom Manning did wonderfully well to slip three defenders in a superb run through the left channel, before curling a superbly weighted shot into the far corner of the net, it was a goal worthy of winning any game and it sealed three precious points for Wells City.