Following the disappointment of last weeks defeat Wells knew they had to massively improve if they were to get anything against a Staplegrove side that had only conceded 2 goals in their previous 7 games. From the first whistle Wells got out of the blocks quickest and on 10 minutes opened the scoring when Darren Maynard was put through on goal and rounded the keeper to slot home from an acute angle. Wells continued to pile pressure on the Grove goal and 3 minutes later following a goalmouth scramble, Charlie Crook poked home from close range. Staplegrove seemed stunned by the intensity from the Wells side and Maynard made it 3-0 on 21 minutes when he picked the ball out wide on the left and cut inside before unleashing an unstoppable shot from 25 yards into the top corner. Staplgrove then changed their formation and started to get hold of the ball a bit more, but they never really created any clear cut chances with the Wells defence of Martyn Sheppard, Pete Vowles and Liam Chant never looking troubled and Olly Bryant and Steve Emery worked tirelessly up and down the flanks. Then on 38 minutes, Olly Edwards got on the score sheet. A short ball was played into him with his back to goal and in one motion he flicked the ball up over the advancing defender and hit a volley from all of 40 yards, which the keeper could only watch sail over his head and into the net to make it 4-0.
The second half was a totally different story with Staplegrove coming out and taking the game to Wells. Within 5 minutes they got their first goal back when Chant got caught in no mans land on the half way line and the Grove striker broke through to finish past Mike Roper in the Wells goal. This spurred the visitors on and within 6 minutes got their second, when another defensive mistake was punished. Staplegrove were now creating chances at will and if it hadn’t been for Roper on three occasions making superb double saves to deny the visitors. Wells then made a double substitution to try and stem the pressure. Fabio Ramos and Ryan Morris were introduced for Scott Hurley and Pete Vowles respectively, followed 10 minutes later when Joe Grant replaced Olly Bryant. With 10 minutes remaining a perfectly floated cross into the box by Olly Edwards found the head of Maynard who finished superbly to complete his hat trick and Wells’ fifth. This settled the nerves and Wells saw out the rest of the game to complete a 5-2 win.
Man of the Match – Darren Maynard.
Barry Maynard said after the game, “It was from the sublime to the ridiculous, the first half we were unstoppable and could quite easily have gone in at half time 7 or 8 nil up. Then in the second half we were our worst enemies with too many individual mistakes and some very naïve defending at times. Credit to Staplegrove for coming out in the second half the way they did, on the back of our first half performance, I think they were just shell shocked. They are a good organised side and will be a top 6 side without a doubt”