Welton Rovers

29th March 2013

Western League Division One
Welton Rovers  0 
Shepton Mallet 1
Gate:£5
Atten: 106










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If i was looking to buy a new house and move to a new village the last place i would go is Midsommer Norton. Call me a bit paranoid but having seen all those people on TV be murdered there , it's a bit off putting to say the least.

So today i found myself in the village where every week from the Chap who runs the Post Office , the photographers, at the Vicarage are all 'rubbed out'. As i enter Midsommer Norton my eye catches the eye of a local women , she runs the local pet shop , but to me she looks very suspicious !





I arrive safely at West Clewes, home of Welton Rovers, who today are involved in a tasty local derby v Shepton Mallet. When i asked the gate man how fierce this rivalry was, he looked at me as if i had just landed from another planet,and pouted his lips and puffed his cheeks out, if anything to emphasise the 'size' of this rivalry. How foolish of me to lack such a knowledge !.

Ground: 5/10
The ground at West Clewes is probably the oldest within what was once a thriving coal mining area, and today boasts a number of senior Non League clubs in close proximity to one another. Welton Rovers FC purchased the ground soon after its formation in 1887, six years after near neighbours Paulton Rovers.
Immediately adjacent to the clubhouse, is the predominantly wooden stand which extends to approximately the half-way line. This is set back some way from the perimeter fence and its stepped roof, painted in club colour is evidence that the structure has been extended since it was originally constructed in the late 1930s, just before WW2. This doubled its capacity from 150 to 300 with the seating provided by wooden benches. 
The ground is surrounded by peaceful vistas with the coal mining slag heap on the distant horizon to give reminders of the past. The club house is excellent and you are always assured of a warm welcome similar to the one i received.

Match Enjoyment: 5/10
As it turned out Mallet hammered Welton and got the decisive goal midway through the first half. In Midsommer Muder terms they took a 'strangle hold' on the game. I needed all my 'detective skills' to 'solve this mystery' (if you'll pardon the pun). The game was feisty at times and a lot of enjoyment came from the crowd getting involved expressing their feelings in their Somerset accent.

Today, West Clewes fights hard to remain a pleasant ground to visit. Although the main stand is looking a little weary and pale around the gills. Never the less it's a place that i am pleased i took the trouble to visit.