This week see’s the
return of the West Ridings County Cup and see’s Welfare travel to NCEL Division
One side, Eccleshill United. There are only four rounds of the competition to
reach the final, so in reality Welfare have an excellent of collecting some
silverware this season.
September has been a
fantastic month for Brian Johnston’s Welfare side, winning 6 out of 8 matches
in all competitions. Wins over Basford United, Lincoln Moorlands Railway,
Winterton Rangers and Staveley Miners Welafre see Welfare climb up the table to
12th. Wins against AFC Liverpool and Glasshoughton Welfare see Armthorpe
into the First Round of the FA Vase where they have an away tie against fellow
Premier side, Liversidge.
The management of
Johnston and Poppleton are taking Welfare to places they haven’t seen in many
years. Its early days to be predicting a league finish but a mid table finish
is certainly on the cards and the run of form of 6 wins in 8 matches must be carried
into Wednesday’s cup game. Brian Johnston is getting the team to play his way
and the results are starting to come along also. Goals are coming from all over
the park this season with Jay Rollins scoring 6 from open play in September,
adding to just one before the month started sees Rollins as Welfare’s top
scorer this season with Midfielder Danny Taylor in second with 4, scoring one
hat trick at Lincoln Moorlands. At the other end of the field Welfare’s defence
are also starting to sure up and keeping teams at bay. The centre half pairings
of Captain Craig Morley and Richard Smith are working together well, only
conceding 5 in 8 games and keeping 3 clean sheets. Shot Stopper Will Biggs is
also picking up plaudits making eye pleasing saves to see his clean sheet tally
at 3 for the season, but with the way the back four are helping him out, there
will be more to come from Biggs this season.
Now onto the hosts, Eccleshill
United have had a brilliant start to their season with two defeats in 11 games.
United sit comfortably in Division one in second place five points behind
runaway leaders Shaw Lane. Manager Mark Ellis has seen his side start the
season with 25 points from 11 games and also seen his side into the first round
of the FA Vase where they will play Premier Division side, Thackley. After
three seasons in Division One, Eccleshill look to be one of the strongest sides
in the league and also with Marcus Edwards the leagues third highest scorer,
Eccleshill boast the power upfront to score goals. He’s the picked out danger
man who will cause Welfare trouble throughout the game.
The Rapid Solicitors
Stadium has only seen United goalless once this season and that was a 0-2
defeat against league leaders Shaw Lane. If Welfare want to be in the second
round of the West Ridings Cup, the back of John Tunney, Craig Morley, Richard
Smith and Steve Garner must be switched on and after only conceding 5 goals in
the whole of September, Welfare aren’t going to go down without a fight on
Wednesday evening.
If you can’t make it
along to Eccleshill on Wednesday evening keep up to date with proceedings on
Twitter, @thewelfare, where we will have match updates live from the ground for
you and a match report will follow.
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