Welwyn Garden City 2 - 1 Wantage Town

A powerful second-half display gave Welwyn GC a winning start to their new Southern League Div 1 Central campaign and a first victory under new manager Nick Ironton’s reign.

The new Herns Lane boss was delighted with his side’s response to his half-time team talk, having been less pleased with the opening 45 minutes of the Citizens’ season against League new boys Wantage, last season’s Hellenic League champions.

Certainly the Oxfordshire side settled to their game much better than WGC in the opening stages and new keeper Connor Sansom was forced into action in the first minute of this game, turning around Wantage’s Jack Dunmall’s low effort.

The visitors grew in confidence and Jack Buchanan was just wide with a snapshot on the turn, as Wantage showed little nerves on their Southern League debut.

WGC’s best chance came from the outstanding George Ironton’s 15th minute free-kick. The manager’s son deceived the visiting defence with his kick, but pre-season top scorer Eusebio Da Silva seemed to be surprised that the ball found him and toe-ended the chance wide!

On 27 minutes, Wantage broke the deadlock. Ryan Markham’s through ball found Buchanan, who slipped in from the left and beat Sansom with a well placed effort from an acute angle, for 1-0.

WGC picked up a couple of bookings before the interval, new winger Aundre Spencer for barging into Wantage keeper Charlie McCready and then Ironton and the visitors’ Jozef Fullerton both got cautioned for their parts in a brief flare-up.

Boss Ironton introduced Romelle Alomenu for Spencer inside five minutes of the second-half’s start and Carl Mensah for out-of-sorts Jean-Paul Antwi at full-back, five minutes later.

Both had fine second-halfs with Alomenu making an immediate impact, giving Wantage full-back Tyron Lee a torried time, bursting past him to set up Da Silva, whose powerful shot was beaten away well by keeper McCready.

WGC, who were without five players for this opening game, dominated proceedings for the remainder of the game.

Dylan Ebengo came forward from the back to hit a fierce cross-shot that flew across goal and struck the far post with McCready beaten, before a defence-splitting ball from Mensah and a Jay Rolfe cross saw a full stretch Da Silva jab another effort also against Wantage’s woodwork.

It was one-way traffic at this stage and when Alomenu’s strength again proved too much for Lee, Da Silva somehow contrived to put a golden chance over from almost on the goalline!

Eventually this intense pressure brought its reward.

Again Alomenu was the provider via the usual route of rounding Lee and crossing into the goalmouth and this time Ironton crowned his display with a good downward header beyond McCready for a fully deserved equaliser.

WGC introduced Olly Carey up front with 15 minutes remaining.

Striker Toby Cleaver, who moments before had brought McCready to a fine save from his flicked header, that full-back Pettit had hacked off the line, switched to central defence.

Will McClelland had taken a knock and was replaced.

WGC looked to have their winner when Carey glanced home a fine header from Dave Keenleyside’s pinpoint cross three minutes after coming on, but the effort was ruled out on an assistant’s flag for offside.

Still the Citizens kept pressing, Lee Close’s 89th minute header from an Ironton corner was headed off the line by defender Jackson, before a further corner brought the winner.

Da Silva atoned for earlier misses with a powerful header high beyond McCready into the net, to give WGC a deserved three points and much confidence after their impressive second-half revival.

Match Report from Welwyn Garden City
Images: (c) Danny Loo Photography