Potteries & District Sunday Football League
Travellers Rest Veterans 1 Wellington Veterans 5
WELLINGTON arrived at Milton-based Travellers Rest with the home side looking avenge a recent defeat at the hands of the men from Leek.
From the outset, it was clear that the men from Leek meant business as they moved the ball around with zest and imposed themselves on their opponents.
Both Glyn Cook and Matthew Sheldon were winning the midfield battle whilst full backs Lockett and Steven Denny were able to stretch the play on the flanks.
Unsurprisingly, thoughm it was the former Port Vale winger Wayne Corden who particularly shone as he probed for an opener.
It was therefore no surprise when Wellington drew first blood on 17 minutes.
Left back James Lockett notched his sixth goal of the campaign, sliding the ball home at the back post following a low cross.
Shortly afterwards, Wellington doubled their advantage when Corden provided a tidy finish after a mazy run.
Things were to get no better for the increasingly frustrated Travellers Rest men when Corden grabbed his second and the Wellington’s third just prior to the break.
Following the break, the Leek side continued to boss the contest, causing Travellers Rest to become a little tetchy and niggly in their challenges.
Despite the game descending into a scrappy affair, Wayne Corden was able to complete his hat trick on 65 minutes when he again beat his man before firing home an excellent finish.
On 75 minutes, Travellers Rest earned themselves a consolation goal after Martin Knight spilled a free kick at the feet of the opposing centre forward, allowing him to capitalise on the error.
With the clock ticking down, Sheldon introduced substitute and talisman Mark O’Shaughnessy into the fray in a bid to hold the ball up and see the game out.
O’Shaughnessy obliged and with almost his first touch found himself with just the keeper to beat after a square pass from man-of-the-match Corden.
O’Shaugnessy, who has not scored a competitive goal since 1996, casually slotted the ball under the advancing goal keeper to complete the rout.
