WELLINGTON were left wondering how they lost 24-15 at home to Wadebridge in Western Counties West having been pretty well in control for the best part of the first hour with a 15-0 lead.

They got off to a flier when wing Ben Williams ran in to finish a swift break from Captain Robin Trott following a line out after just three minutes.

The visitors missed a long- range penalty as did the home side with play being fairly even although the Wellington pack were decidedly on top in the loose with No8 Micky Norman and flankers Chris Kitto and Joe Dyke all buttoning up the breakdown areas purposefully.

Line-out ball was also proving secure with locks Shane Jordan and Harry Ramsay dominating and even nicking some of the Cornishmen’s ball and up front Lee Wadham, Tom Sargent and Dave Swann were in no visible trouble.

Swann in particular stood out for his ball carrying into contact and some impressive tackling which one or two Wadebridge players will remember for some time.

The lead was extended on the 25-minute mark when scrum- half Tim Jenkinson magically picked off a pass from another breakdown on the halfway line and, rolling back the years, sprinted all the way to the line.

Fly-half Matt Parsons put over an excellent conversion in the conditions from wide out on his wrong side to add to the visitor’s misery and it was nothing more than the home side deserved.

Wellington started the second half on the front foot and Parsons took the easiest of penalties on 44 minutes when the referee penalised the Wadebridge front row for umpteenth time for slipping their binding and to leave them needing three scores to get the result.

What followed was as baffling as it was disappointing as a highly injudicious piece of defensive work resulted in a wayward clearance kick going straight to the visitors in acres of space from where Camels’ No8 Gary Gynn ran in for their opening unconverted try.

Next a Wellington scrum in the opposition 22 was allowed to rumble forward aimlessly with little real chance of being able to get to the try line when the situation cried out for a positive move to keep the pressure on the visitors defence.

The Wadebridge pack managed to disrupt their progress and convince the referee to reverse the put in and cleared their lines to their great relief at being allowed to get off the hook.

The referee finally had enough of the messing about in the front row and yellow carded a miscreant Wadebridge prop for yet more scrummaging misdemeanours. But far from deflating the visitors, this seemed to inspire them.

They went on the offensive as they seemed to get the journey from the Duchy out of their legs and wing Danny Briskham went over following dominant play in the loose for another five pointer.

Although this rocked the home side they were still 5 points in front but became uncertain and unable to contain the increasingly confident Wadebridge team who began to pin them in their 22.

A catch and drive was driven over with 5 minutes of the match remaining with replacement hooker Matt Tarby getting the final touchdown.

This time fly half James Grubb was on target with the conversion for the visitors to take the lead for the first time in the game.

The agony wasn’t over however as another misplaced kick saw Briskham collect in his own half and shrug his way past 4 or 5 tacklers only being caught and put into touch deep in the home 22.

Another catch and drive was called and was unable to be resisted with Gynn scoring his second of the game. Grubb stepped up for the conversion and broke the home side’s hearts as it went over to deny them even the consolation of a losing bonus point.

With time up the final whistle went leaving the visitors jubilant and the home side to reflect on what might have been.

n THIS Saturday firsts play their re-arranged Tribute West-ern Counties West fixture against Torquay at the Athletic Ground.

The Seconds have no fixture while the Thirds also have a re-arranged match against Burn-ham on Sea in the Tribute Somerset Two, South division.

The U18s are due to travel to Nailsea and Backwell for their match.