IN front of a crowd of 202, Wellington’s excellent run in the Toolstation league was brought to a shuddering halt with a 7-1 defeat at a wet and windy Barnstaple.

Barnstaple extended their 15 match unbeaten sequence by scoring five in a dominant first half.

They would have had even more but for one of the misses of the season.

Barnstaple kicked off and Wellington looked comfortable for the first five minutes before the roof fell in.

Wellington failed to clear the ball and conceded a free kick on the edge of the box. The ball was driven in, Wellington again failed to clear, and Barnstaple reacted first to open the scoring.

Three minutes later the home side were 2-0 up. After breaking up a Wellington attack, one pass put a home forward through on goal.

The third came when Wellington gave another free kick away under pressure. This time the kick was driven straight into the net.

Wellington pulled one back through an excellent Cleal goal who turned and beat the centre half before finding a neat finish.

But Barnstaple scored their fourth straight from the kick-off without a Wellington player touching the ball. It was sent straight to the right winger and crossed for the centre forward to volley home.

Goalkeeper Jake Viney was then grateful when a Barnstaple player lobbed the ball into his arms with the goal virtually at his mercy.

Things got worse for Wellington when Legg was sent off for receiving two yellow cards.

And Barnstaple added their fifth just before the interval when a shot was diverted past Viney to make it 5-1.

Barnstaple began the second half in similar vein, scoring another after five minutes.

Their seventh came mid-way through the half as Wellington sent on all three substitutes in a bid to limit further damage.

Barnstaple had another goal disallowed and Wellington were glad to see the final whistle on a pitch which had now cut up badly.

Things don’t get much easier for Wellington in the short run.

On Saturday they entertain second-placed Cribbs who have won nine games on the trot. Wellington: Jake Viney, Luke Bryant, Tim Legg, Carl Duckenski, Tom Ellis, Sam Towler, James Clough, Jack Bryant, Carl Jones, Liam Cleal, Ian Bellinger. Subs: Mich Woodgate, Sam Bryant, Luke Perry.