Wolves Casuals 2 Wellington 1

ALTHOUGH Wellington enjoyed both territorial advantage and possession in this West Midlands League Premier Division encounter, their finishing was below par.

Visiting striker Peter Wallace got the ball in the net after 10 minutes following good work by 17-year-old debutant Andy Price, but his effort was ruled off-side. Minutes later the normally prolific scorer missed an open goal when he headed over from close range.

Wolves caught the visitors' defence napping after 20 minutes with a quickly-taken corner to the near post which goalkeeper Jim Panniers could only palm away. The ball was returned to the box and, after a goalmouth scramble, Wolves forced the ball home for the opening goal.

There was a greater urgency about Wellington's play after the break, with Mark Cross eventually putting them back on terms when he rose to head home a left-wing cross from Willie Lindesay. They continued to press and almost took the lead when Cross broke through, only to be thwarted by a superb, point-blank save.

Wolves scored the winner from a breakaway when a couple of fortunate rebounds enabled a winger to cross to the far post where Panniers was beaten by a powerful header.