Chickerell UNITED 3

HAMWORTHY UNITED RESERVES 0

MAURICE Welch saw his Chickerell side notch up their third successive 3-0 victory with another fine performance against Hamworthy United Reserves at Weymouth College.

The Chickens, who have now won their last six, took the lead through an own goal on 31 minutes but did not add to their tally until midway through the second half when Jon Welch eased the tension with a wonderful strike from the edge of the box that found the bottom-left corner.

Nick Etherington then celebrated his birthday weekend by grabbing the third with a virtuoso effort, which saw him beat two defenders before applying a clinical finish.

Boss Welch said: “To be honest, we have had enough opportunities in the last few games to score a lot more but I will certainly settle for three each time.

“It was another very good performance from the lads against a decent side that has strengthened a bit from last season.

“We went in front through an own goal but only just about deserved to be ahead at the break as it was a fairly even first half.

“You have to earn the right to play at this level and in the last third of the game I think Hamworthy began to tire a bit and that is when we eventually got on top.

“We ended up scoring two more and that rounded off another polished all-round display.

“The back three were superb and Ben Skelton and Stewart Walbridge were excellent down the flanks as part of a five-man midfield that did really well. Tom Peck also came on and impressed so overall I was really pleased.”

Chickerell now sit sixth in the Magna Dorset Premier League, just two points off the top, but Welch does still have concerns.

He added: “We dropped a few points in the opening two games in matches that we would now be confident of winning.

“We struggled for goals early on but now we are going out expecting to score and there is a good spirit and a lot of belief around the place.

“However, I still have not been able to field the same side twice and that is something I would like to see that settle down a bit but with Stewart Walbridge and Elliott Barrow both having gone to university now, and Jamie Sibley having joined the Army, we do have gaps to fill.

“Dan Welch is also working away a lot at the moment but we do have Liam Beades and Andy Graham to come back, which should provide us with a bit of a boost. They are both due back over the course of the next week.”

Sibley will not be available again until the end of December while Walbridge and Barrow will be a case of as and when.

Chickerell are without a game this weekend and will not return to action until next month.

Chickens: A Weeks, Henley, S Welch, Barrow, Miles, D Welch, J Welch (Peck 70), B Skelton, Walbridge, Etherington, Houghton (Why 60).