Defeat despite 2-0 lead

Wells travelled to last seasons Division 2 West League Champions knowing it was always going to be a tough game. With both teams always keen to play flowing football this game couldn’t have started any better for Wells, when on 2 minutes a move down the left found Ryan Crowther with space to whip in a cross but the winger hit the ball with the outside of his left foot across goal and the ball eluded everyone including the home custodian and nestled in the bottom corner. Only Crowther will really know if he meant it. 3 minutes later Wells made it 2-0, Kieran Padfield finding space down the left, this time his cross was mishit by Dan Catley but the ball fell at the feet of Ryan Pledger who drilled the ball low and hard into the corner. Wells looked to be cruising but once again defensive frailties were their undoing. On 10, a needless free kick conceded in the last third, was not dealt with and the ball was bundled home for Cleeve to get a goal back. Mike Roper was then called on to make a couple of good saves before Cleeve got the equaliser on 18 minutes when another defensive mix up left Roper exposed and the Cleeve No9 had the easiest of chances to make it 2-2. Roper again spared Wells their blushes with a superb save to his left on 30 minutes.
The second half started evenly but Wells couldn’t get that all important third goal. Cleeve got the all important third with defence splitting cross field ball that was met on the run and finished past Roper. Wells still had chances to get an equaliser, with the best chance coming from Olly Bryant, whose goal ward header was tipped onto the bar the home keeper. Even the introduction of Hurley, Poore and Vowles couldn’t breath life into the tired Wells team.
Wells MOM – Mike Roper
After the match Barry Maynard (Assistant Manager) said – “This is becoming a common occurrence, defensive naivety is costing us points. Last season we would have killed teams off , but silly mistakes are costing us. We need to concentrate for 90 minutes, if we are to beat teams like this. It’s disappointing but we’ll move on and work on the errors in training, the lads know they’re better than the last few performances they’ve given us”