Wells City Bounce Back

Wells City bounced back from a disappointing result the previous weekend by beating Chippenham Park.

It may not have been the best or prettiest of performances but the response was exactly what manager Mark Read was looking for.

His assistant John Allen was also full of praise for his team.

"We made a new signing today, Tom Smith from Welton Rovers, and he was always going to be an important signing as we needed to strengthen in the middle of the park and he made a huge difference to us," said Allen.

"We controlled the game quite well from the start without being particularly threatening, but once we got the opening goal I felt we were even more in command and we were quite happy to be leading at half-time.

"We did miss a couple of early chances early in the second half but again they never really threatened us until they scored and then you think, for all the work you have done and been the dominant side, you are suddenly pegged back and that one goal has been wiped out and the winning position at that time had gone.

"From that moment we bedded in, stuck to our game plan and in the end Lee Pitman got the winner for us.

"We brought on Steve Sokol and Leon Britton and that steadied us down and at 2-1 we played the game out.

"It was really important for us to get the three points, we needed those three points to stay in the pack, we are not going to get carried away we have made a great start.

"We have had a few slip-ups, some our doing, some that are not our doing, but we are where we want to be in that pack chasing down and in a position to chase down for honours when it matters and that is where we are.

"We are pleased with the three points, although we probably should have scored more goals and made things a lot more comfortable, but we are in a results business and we are moving in the right direction."

Only one point separated the sides before the game but there was quite a gulf on the pitch and Wells took a deserved 12th-minute lead when Jake Brown got in behind the defence to finish a good move involving Smith, Ollie Bryant and Scott Saunders.

Nathan Rendell had two chances to double the lead early in the second half but Chippenham keeper Connor Thompson was equal to the task.

The Wells defence were caught napping for the only time in the match midway through the second half when Rob Burton was left unmarked at the back post to head home a close-range equaliser.

However, City deservedly secured the points in the 82nd minute when James Batchelor's through ball found Pitman, who lifted the ball over the advancing Thompson and slid home the winner.

Man of the match: Ollie Bryant.

Wells City are in FA Vase action on Saturday as they travel to Lymington in Hampshire.

Read more at http://www.wellsjournal.co.uk/Wells-City-beat-Chippenham-Park-late-Lee-Pitman/story-28054522-detail/story.html#qlsiLMPSm9KTt1Rs.99