The clubs entered into this game with the score 1-1 in previous meetings this season, WGC having won 1-0 at home on August Bank Holiday and Lions having progressed in the Herts Senior Cup, on penalties, after a 3-3 draw.
Welwyn Garden City lose to London Lion 3-2 (Image: Matthew Tuttle (MT Media))
There were goals aplenty as the sides met again, with Nick Ralfe scoring an impressive double for the Citizens, but it counted for little, as Lions turned matters totally around with a strong second-half showing.
WGC boss Marc Weatherstone gave a debut to latest signing Remel Larwood in place of the rested Panny Boxer and recalled Steve Cawley upfront for Evaristo Mendes, in his only changes from the 2-2 draw with Barton, the previous Saturday.
Welwyn Garden City lose to London Lion 3-2 (Image: Matthew Tuttle (MT Media))
The opening half-hour of the clash was a fairly tepid affair in a game played in a very troublesome high wind, making control difficult.
Lewis Taaffe pulled an early chance wide, after an Eddie Corbit cross had been cleared out to him and a clever switched pass by Steve Cawley played Ralfe in, but the winger shot straight at home keeper Nathan Bloohn with his first effort of the game.
Chances were few, Ethan Rookard being given advantage of a challenge on Lions’ Alex Lee to find himself in space, only to blaze wildly over.
Then eight minutes from the break, WGC wrested the lead with a fine piece of accuracy from Ralfe.
Cawley went in for a challenge on keeper Bloohn, who kicked clear, but only to the winger 20 yards out, who took aim at an empty net and found it in fine style.
This goal sparked the Citizens’ best spell of the game in the closing minutes of the half.
Welwyn Garden City lose to London Lion 3-2 (Image: Matthew Tuttle (MT Media))
Shortly after Ralfe’s opener, WGC had a glorious chance for a second. Fine work by newcomer Larwood got round the back of the home defence. He fed Ralfe, who got to the by-line and pulled it back into Taaffe’s path, but from only a couple of yards, the midfielder blazed the chance over!
On the stroke of the interval, the Citizens hit the woodwork with a diving Cawley header onto the post from a Taaffe cross, only for the effort to bounce back into the keeper’s arms.
The second-half proved a different story.
From the early minutes Lions were in the ascendancy. In 49 minutes, their winger Jack Mattey got past WGC skipper Layne Eadie and pulled the ball back into Max Davis’ path. His deflected shot flashed just past a post.
The reprieve was short-lived. Two minutes later, Eadie gave the ball away in midfield. Lions worked it out to the left and from Dan Creese’s low cross, Zan Appleson-Fidler tucked it past Lamar Johnson in the WGC goal, from short range for 1-1.
Both sides made changes, WGC introducing the returned Tom Bruno and Mendes for Cawley and Larwood, who had enjoyed a decent debut.
But it was Lions who were the more dangerous side now and it was one of their substitutes, Oscar Wagner who got on the end of another cross
from the left, to glance a fine header beyond Johnson to give the home side the lead,with just over 20 minutes to go.
WGC responded immediately, Carlos Velasco – WGC’s best player on the night – made a strong run past several men to find Taaffe with his pass. He passed on to Ralfe, who stepped inside a couple of challenges to hit a fine, dipping effort over Bloohn for his second of the night and 2-2.
The Citizens scorned a chance to take the lead moments later, sub Mendes turning on a chance to shoot wide of the far post.
But it was Lions who found the third and winning goal. Again the danger came down the left and from another accurate cross, central defender Ben Bellman got in front of the WGC defence to net the winner and settle the destination of the points!
WGC: Johnson, Corbit, Green (J), Read, Eadie, Larwood (Bruno 62), Velasco, Taaffe, Ralfe, Rookard (McDonald 73), Cawley (Mendes 62). Subs:- Kirwan, Pollock (not used).
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